LEGISLATIVE AID TO AGRICULTURE. 

 No. 11. 



^Agricultural Societies. 



Agricultural Societies have as yet been the only 

 f stablishmenis in Virginia designed as means to 

 improve ajxricultiire; and these have been planned, 

 and carried into operation, (when any operation fol- 

 lowed,) entirely by individual effort, and at the 

 expense of the members of the several societies. 

 Without exception, they have been so defective 

 in their organization, and plan for working and 

 foi producing the ends designed, that but few 

 have lived long enough to work at all ; and 

 those lew wlu-h have possessed more vitality, 

 have had almost no other element of value. Of 

 the greater proportion of the many agricultural 

 societies which have already existed in Virginia, 

 the meeting and hearing the first address from the 

 first president of the society, constituted the only 

 public or known act, before the speedily sinking into 

 tleath, or lethargy and oblivion. Some lew indi- 

 vidual members of some few of these societies 

 have indeed presented very interesting and useful 

 communications on agricultural subjects ; but this 

 merely proves, what no one would doubt, that 

 agriculturists distinguished ior intelligence and 

 public spirit, are not diveslec'. of these qualities, 

 and do not always cease to exercise them for the 

 public good, in consequence of their becoming 

 members of agricultural societies. But it is de- 

 nied that the eiicitinf; these communications has 

 been caused by the fitness of any such society /or 

 that purpose. All these societies, though in dif- 

 ferent degrees, have been deplorably unfit to sti- 

 mulate inquiry and effort, elicit information, or. in 

 general, to promote the improvement of agricul- 

 tural knowledge, in science or practice. 



Lest this general opinion should be deemed too 

 censorious, or as having special reference to socie- 

 ties still existing, and to their recent action, or in- 

 action, (all of which is disclaimed,) we will here 

 quote at some length, as expressive of our views 

 of the general defects of agricultural societies, 

 and the suitable remedies, the words of an article 

 which appeared nearly six years ago, in one of 

 the early numbers of this journal. 



"A remarkable and notorious characteristic of 

 Virginians is to commence the support of any 

 good and popular scheme, with vehement and 

 overflowing zeal ; and having thus wasted their 

 energy in the outset, to become weary, relax their 

 exertions, and finally cease entirely to make them, 

 by the time they are most wanting. Yet, perhaps, 

 the deliberate judirment of each individual i.s as 

 much in fiivor of the object, when he thus aban- 

 dons its support, as when he first undertook, and 

 gave all his strength, to commence the operation. 

 We act more from feeling, than from reasoning. 

 We start forward to aid a good cause, as most of 

 us would rush to a joyous festival; and when 

 the excitement of pleasure is over, we as readily 

 yield to the reaction of feeling — the wearisome- 

 VoL. VI.-89 



ncss and lassitude which always follow the pur- 

 suit and enjoyment of mere pleasure. 



"But besides this ournational failing, which un- 

 fortunately affects all our public institutions, there 

 are other evils which press particalarly on agricul- 

 tural societies, and are sufficient: to destroy first 

 their usefulness, and next their very existence. 



"When the formation of an agricultural society 

 is first proposed, there are plenty of members to 

 be obtained. Each is willing to give his name to 

 support the scheme ; and he is willing also to add 

 a little of his time, and a small contribution in 

 money. But very few think of becoming loork- 

 ing members, or of doing any thing as individual 

 cultivators of the soil, to aid the object of the as- 

 sociation. They meet at the staled' times lor one 

 or two years — find that they have no communi- 

 cations to hear — each member thinks or declares 

 that the society is useless,and wonders that it should 

 be so — and finally, (and necessarily,) it sinks into- 

 contempt and dies, without even the little respect 

 of a vole being taken lor its dissolution. Of all 

 these perfectly useless members, there may be 

 scarcely one who might not have rendered some 

 service, by making experiments or observations, 

 and reporting the results : yet each one is kept si- 

 lent and useless by false shame, and the fear (if 

 he should make the attempt) of' not being distin- 

 guished as an agricultural writer. 



"So much for thernass of private members. 

 Next let us look to the officers, on whom much 

 more depends, to secure the usefulness and per- 

 manency of the society. 



" When the society is first formed, one of the 

 most aged, respectable, intelligent and popular 

 members will of" course be made the presiding and 

 first executive officer, on whose zeal and energy, 

 the success of the scheme must mainly depend. 

 Such a man will generally be justly entitled to the 

 love and esteem of his fellow-members — perhaps 

 he will stand equally high as a farmer, or as ti 

 man of general and valuable acquirements. But 

 if he wants zeal and energy, (as must be expect- 

 ed of most old men,) the highest other qualities 

 will not make up for these deficiencies. After 

 such an appointment, the high respectability and 

 popularity of the individual forbids a change ; and 

 if he should prove an inefficient president, the so- 

 ciety is soon overlaid and destroyed by his worth 

 and dignity. The same observations apply, but 

 with less force, to all the other subordinate officers 

 of a society. 



" To avoid these causes of danger to new socie- 

 ties, I will respectfully propose to those who may 

 be their founders, a few innovations which I think 

 will be found of use. 



" I. Let the society be composed altogether of 

 working members J and to be sure of that object, 

 let no member be admitted, except he previously 

 presents some report in writing, (however concise, 

 or no matter how trivial the subject) of experi- 

 ment made, or facts observed. Scientific and 

 professional men, in their departments, could per- 

 form similar duties. Such a form of initiation 

 would compel every member to "break the ice •" 



