THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 6T 



that ' before the board was instituted, the bond of connection 

 among agriculturists was slender and served few useful purposes. 

 Bach trusted to his own information, and knew little more about 

 the practice of conterminous districts than that of China, or 

 the most distant country. The establishment of the Board 

 removed at once all these evils and difficulties. It made farmers 

 who resided in the most distant quarters of the kingdom 

 acquainted with one another, and caused a rapid dissemination 

 of knowledge among the whole profession. The art of agricul- 

 ture was brought into fashion ; old practices were amended and 

 new ones introduced, and a degree of exertion manifested which 

 had never before been exemplified on this island.' All history 

 teaches us that it is of the first importance in the accomplish- 

 ment of great objects of improvement, to collect men together 

 and bind them in an association for that purpose. An institu- 

 tion for the improvement of our agriculture will bring the intel- 

 lect of the State to a more powerful bearing upon that subject. 

 Thus collected and organized, we shall see and hear and learn 

 new things, and learn them in such a manner as to make an 

 indelible impression and to exert a practical influence. Instead 

 of resting upon ways as good as any in our immediate neighbor- 

 hood, we shall compare ourselves more extensively with others 

 and improve accordingly. An enthusiastic zeal will be awak- 

 ened, useful knowledge in all departments of husbandry will be 

 scattered broadcast over the State, our farms will be made more 

 valuable, our homes more pleasant and comfortable, and our 

 income more abundant." 



As we meet thus in fraternal council and congratulation, and 

 gaze upon the collections in the various branches which consti- 

 tute an agricultural exhibition, we must wonder at and admire 

 the forces which are constantly at work for our calling. How 

 has the earth labored in all haste during the short summer 

 season, " the sixty days of corn weather," to bring forth those 

 fields, even now " white unto the harvest." With what patience 

 and endurance and obedience has the animal kingdom resigned 

 itself to its imperial master, and allowed its forms to be moulded 

 and its intelligence guided for the comfort and convenience and 

 necessity of man. Summer and winter, day and night, seed- 

 time and harvest, come and go for us and our fields. By fire 

 and water, by decay and change, by secret and hidden chemical 



