THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 61 



make our way clear to immediate success, such were the effects of 

 frost upon our grounds as to cause us to feel that we wished no- 

 body to come and see till another season. Many came, neverthe- 

 less during the summer, and in no instance did anyone go away 

 unconvinced. Individuals came without number, chief among 

 them being Mr. J. Austin Shaw of Rochester, and Mr. D. C. Hop- 

 kins, of the Almond Fruit Farm, both saying pleasant things and 

 doing all that was possible to cheer and encourage us to persever- 

 ance in the work we had undertaken. In the meantime, a few 

 brave men among our Allegany county farmers, having organized 

 a club, had so far gotten a start with their organization as to make 

 themselves felt all over our county. Discussion of the merits of 

 our system had begun in a lively way, the news getting out that 

 our patent had been allowed. The good effects were immediate, 

 prompting the Allegany Farmers' Club to appoint a committee to 

 visit our grounds, and examine into the merits of our system. The 

 committee came, and after spending several hours in examining in- 

 to our work and noting results, reached conclusion as follows : 



WELLSVILLE, Aug. 11, 1884 

 MR, A. N. COLE: 



The undersigned committee, representing the Farmers' Club of 

 Allegany county, having examined the plot of ground fitted under 

 your improved system of subterranean drainage, irrigation and fer- 

 tilization, take pleasure in assuring the public that our observa- 

 tions justify us in concluding that you are enabled to realize all 

 you claim to accomplish by that system. 

 E. E. HYDE, Belmont, JAS. S. WILCOX, Belmont, 



C. A. WINDUS, " I P. TRUMAN, 



D. H. NORTON, Friendship. 



This committee was as ably constituted as any one of equal number 

 that could be chosen from the membership of any like organization 



