44 MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



Hence at the annual meeting of the society held December 

 19, 1849, in the village of Jackson, Mr. Bela Hubbard offered 

 the following resolution : 



Resolved, that our legislature be requested to pass such legislation as 

 shall appear necessary or expedient for the establishment of a central 

 agricultural office, with which shall be connected a museum of agricul- 

 tural products and implements, and an agricultural library, and, as soon 

 as practicable, an Agricultural College, and a model farm. 



A memorial to the legislature of 1850 was adopted, from 

 which I quote: 



Having established successfully a State Agricultural Society, with its 

 annual fairs, it is hoped that, with its central office, museum, and library, 

 a great step has been accomplished toward perfecting our agricultural 

 system. The next most important step in this process is the founding of 

 a State Agricultural College and Model Farm. 



The memorial is quite long, and outlined the work that 

 might be done, and the need therefor. 



Hon. Jos. R. Williams, who later became first president of 

 this College, in an address before the society at its second fair 

 at Ann Arbor in 1850, started the call for an experiment station. 

 Speaking of the publication of addresses, he said, "One short 

 expose of study, of John's experiments, or Molly's industry, 

 may prove more instructive than a whole oration. On this 

 account it should be our duty to preserve the history and prog- 

 ress of each experiment in bringing a product or animal to 

 perfection" — a broad suggestion for an experiment station. 



On April 2, 1850, a joint resolution was passed by the legis- 

 lature asking our senators and representatives in Congress to 

 use all honorable means to procure from the United States a 

 donation of three hundred and fifty thousand acres of land to 

 this state for the purpose of establishing and maintaining agri- 

 cultural schools therein. 



Who can doubt the distinguished senator from Vermont had 

 heard of this resolution before he introduced his "land grant 



