12 MR. patson's address. 



that a blade of Damascus will not cut this nutritive salt-grass, unless it 

 is moistened by the rain or the dew. Here we toil, until the approach- 

 ing frost compels us to gather in the scanty harvest. We are obliged to 

 sell the best of our products, to meet our expenses. Our horses and 

 working cattle eat up the better portion of what is left, while our 

 half-starved cows and other stock get the poor remainder, always 

 thankful, if perchance a lock of decent fodder comes within their 

 reach. The consequence is, our new milch-cows with scarcely flesh 

 enough to prevent the skin from adhering to the bone, are worth but 

 little more in the Spring than they were in the Autumn, Our ma- 

 nure heaps are no larger than they were the previous year. We can 

 neither cultivate more land nor to better advantage ; the result of all 

 our labor is, that by going the same round from year to year, we can 

 barely get enough to keep soul and body together, and never find 

 time to advance one step in the path of improvement. We are con- 

 tent to imitate the example of the elder Laird of Dumbiedikes, whoso 

 dying charge to his son you will all recollect, — "Jock, when ye hae 

 naething else to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree ; it will be 

 growing, Jock, when ye're sleeping. My father tauld me sae, forty 

 years sin' but I ne'er fand time to mind him." 



Were I to pursue the subject farther, I should weary your pa- 

 tience and encroach upon the business of the day. The object of 

 our Society as I have said, is to promote agricultural improvement. 

 Its philanthrophic founders have done much in the cause, but they 

 are fast passing away. Within a few weeks, one of their number 

 who for some time presided over its affairs, alike zealous in the pro- 

 motion of agriculture, as distinguished in his profession, has gone to 

 his final rest. When such men die, not only are families and friends 

 bereaved, but community suifers a great loss. A shadow of gloom 

 comes over us when we recollect that those eminent social qualities 

 which render the relations of life agreeable, and which Dr. Joseph 

 Kittredge possessed in so remarkable a degree, have gone from 

 among us. Let those who come up to fill these vacant places, remem- 

 ber that the art of Agriculture must progress. In the United States, 

 she is sooner or later destined to reach the highest point of improve- 

 ment. Great beyond those of any people upon earth, are the privi- 

 leges enjoyed by the American Farmer, for the exclusive, absolute, 



