262 STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



hitherto have proved a great hindrance both to the cor 

 rect instruction of the children and to their steady and 

 rapid progress. This is now in course of amendment, 

 however. A normal school is in full and excellent opera 

 tion at Albany. It is supported by an annual grant of 

 10,000 dollars from the funds at the disposal of the Legis 

 lature ; and about two hundred male and female teachers 

 so many from each county of the State are taught 

 gratuitously. About one hundred teachers, on the present 

 scale of the school, will be sent out every year. These 

 will no doubt gradually spread over the country a better 

 race of instructors ; but whether or riot they will either 

 form a settled and permanently resident body of men, 

 adhering to teaching as a profession, will depend much 

 upon the chances of more rapid advancement in other 

 directions which may happen to fall in their way. 



Jan. 17. I yesterday attended the annual meeting of 

 the New York State Agricultural Society, and this 

 evening was present at the delivery of the annual 

 address by the retiring president, Mr King, member of 

 Congress for this State, and an old Harrow boy. This 

 custom of a yearly address by the retiring president, 

 giving an account of what has been done under his 

 auspices and during his reign, is very useful, and very 

 much deserving of imitation. It affords an opportunity, 

 not only of recommending the general objects of the 

 Society, but of specially drawing attention to those points 

 in the rural practice of the several parts of the State 

 which are most likely to be profitably amended. It 

 makes it necessary also for the Society actually to do 

 something, for the president to have some knowledge of, 

 and to take an actual interest in, what is done, in order 

 that he may be able to explain and discuss and enforce 

 the steps it takes or recommends. The proceedings at 

 the general meeting were very creditable to the Society 

 the desire for progress appeared to be very great the 



