art 



Let us see I Indiana, an average corn crop in 

 1873 of 28.6 bushels per acre. Illinois as above 

 21 bushels. These states are two wherein the 

 agricultural reports are of little worth, and have 

 corresponding little influence, themselves trans- 

 cripts of public condition, th blind not even 

 Btriving to lead the blind. Ohio, an excellent 

 agricultural report and 35 bushels of corn per 

 acre. Michigan also a fine report and 31 bushels 

 per acre. Wisconsin also a good report and 30 

 bushels per acre. Indeed we might test our 

 judgment of the literature of our report by the 

 average crop returns of the census, and be not 

 even laughably wrong. Ye farmer hearers, note 

 this! 



The Georgia State Agricultural Society was 

 chartered in 1853. We find no publications. The 

 Southern Central Agricultural Society was or- 

 ganized in 1846, chartered in 1849, and issued one 

 volume of 408 pages about 1850. Of late years 

 the Georgia Agricultural Society has held meet- 

 ings for discussion, and have published their 

 proceedings in a pamphlet form. These prints 

 show an agricultural interest which indicate 

 progress and are creditable. 



The Agricultural Society of the State of Min- 

 nesota was organized Jan. 4, 1854. We have no 

 knowledge of any transactions being issued. 



In 1854 also, the California State Agricultural 

 Society was organized. The early reports were 

 distributed in pamphlet form previous to 1859 

 and were but little more than a record of the fairs. 

 We have seen " Official Report of the California 

 State Agricultural Society, 3d Annual Fair, 

 1856," 8vo., pp. 80. Do. Fourth Annual Fair, 1857, 

 pp. 190. Transactions of the California State 

 Agricultural Society, 8vo., 1858. Do. 1859-60. In 

 1862 the first volume of transations under direc- 

 tions of the California Board of Agriculture, 

 8vo.,1863,pp. 272. Do. 1863, do. 1868 and 1869 in 

 one volume ; do. for 1870 and '71 in one volume ; 

 do, for 1872. 



These reports show remarkable zeal and a re- 

 markable development of agriculture. They 

 have not as yet become pruned down into shape, 

 but offer a rampant growth, which requires di- 

 rection. While we cannot speak highly of their 

 literary character, we commend them as a fu- 

 ture promise. 



The Alabama State Agricultural Society was 

 organized Jan. 10, 1855, and chartered Feb. 14, 

 1856. We cannot hear of any publications. 



The Iowa State Agricultural Society was or- 

 ganized June, 1854. It published a " Report and 

 Proceedings of the Iowa State Agricultural 

 Society, &c., for 1855." Report of the Thud 

 Annual Exhibition, &c., 1856, and a "Fourm 

 Annual Report," &c., for 1857, and thence an- 

 nually. These reports are as commonplace as 

 need be, without being absolutely bad. They 

 seem to contain very little mature thought. 

 Ttieir general characteristic indicate realness. 

 Yet why so here rather than elsewhere, I hardly 

 can conjecture. 



We find Maine quite prominent in the literary 

 field. The first publication seems to have been 

 Transactions of the Agricultural Societies in the 

 Stare of Maine for 1850, 1851, and 1852. Parti, 

 arranged from official returns by E. Holmes, 

 Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, 8vo., 

 Agusra, 1853., pp. 407. The same tor 1.854. "Re- 

 port of the Secretary of the Maine State Agri- 

 cultural Society aud Transactions of the Several 

 County Societies for the year 1855". This is the 

 first report of the State Society. The report of 

 the Maine Society for the years in which the 

 fairs were held are to be found in the Abstract of 

 Returns of the Agricultural Societies of Maine, 

 published separately and as an appendix to the 

 Board of Agriculture reports. The Board ot Ag- 

 riculture was established April 1, 1856, and pub- 

 lished its first report, " Agriculture of Maine," 

 for this year, and thence annually. S. L. Goodal 

 was secretary tor the first 17 volumes, and then 

 S. i. Boardman. 



These volumes have had a marked influence 

 on Maine agriculture, and have a high value. 

 While not to be compared in many respects with 

 some of the reports that we have reviewed, 

 yet they have a character of their own, as re- 

 flecting in part the character of their population. 

 In them we can trace the waves of agricultural 

 excitement as they have passed over the com- 

 munity, and there is an atmosphere of simplicity 

 and candor which is rather charming. Indeed, 

 their contributors are in earnest to improve 

 Maine agriculture, and they go at the subject 

 earnestly. They are credulous with themselves 

 and suspicious of others. They ever seek, and 

 yet ever dread the new. 



They are deficient, however, in the way of 

 most others in not seeking definite facts and 

 definite replies to nature. They are rather 

 opinionated, and trustful of impressions. Often, 

 however, we find a strong article, and of late we 

 see a tendency to seek the advanced science of 

 the day. As some reports might have the epithet 

 "suburban" applied to them as a stray expres- 

 sion conveying a stronger meaning than a dozen 

 sentences so may we call these volumes "rustic." 

 We would be sorry to lose one file, and would 

 retain them longer than very many others. 



The Kentucky State Agricultural Society was 

 organized in 1850. It published a " Transactions 

 and First Report," 1856-9, 2 Vols., 8vo,, Frankfort, 

 1&57-60. No reports published since 1861, and in 

 1867 the secretary writes, "We have just been 

 able to hold a fair yearly in order to keep the or- 

 ganization alive." We have never seen a copy 

 of these reports, and know nothing of their 

 character. 



We find evidence of a "North Carolica Agri- 

 cultural Society,'' in two volumes of "Transac- 

 tions," said to have been for 1857 and 1858. But 

 we can give no further information. 



In 1864 the Colorado Agricultural society was 

 incorporated. Its 3d fair was at Denver, in 1868. 

 We find mention of transactions for 1870 and '71, 

 but we have not seen them. 



In 1864 the New England Agricultural Society 

 was organized. But two volumes of transactions 

 have been published, one in 1864 the other in 

 1865. These publications are, however, of little 

 account, except as showing the influence of a 

 progressive spirit at the first, which soon, how- 

 ever died out. The transactions for 1864 are 

 taken up with the account of the exhibition and 

 with essays, showing carefulness of prepara- 

 tion, and a good intent throughout. The second 

 transactions are likewise a report of the exhibi- 

 tion, but free from any literary effort whatso- 

 ever, except what is copied from a foreign jour- 

 nal. Since that date, annual exhibitions have 

 been held, but no repons published, and the so- 

 ciety has been exercising an unfavorable influ- 

 ence upon New England agriculture from being 

 made use of as a political engine for the advan- 

 tage of its permanent officials, who are usually 

 recognized as forming a ring; a ring so close that 

 the majority of the officials even, much less any 

 of the society, have had but little part in giv- 

 ing tone or character to the socieiy through 

 their acts ; a ring so close, that even the ordi- 

 nary practice of having a treasurer's report with 

 vouchers has been omitted tor years; a ring of 

 extravagance, and a ring of irresponsibility ; a 

 ring which has given a flippant tone to agricul- 

 tural writings, wherever it could have any in- 

 fluence. The New England Agricultural Society 

 has influenced our New England agricultural 

 literature, but to its injury. It has published 

 sinceits first volume nothing whatsoever of merit. 

 It has given encouragement through the press in 

 connection with its exhibitions to the most 

 venial elements. 



In 1865 the Missouri State Board of Agriculture 

 appt-areu m the drat annual report. These re- 

 ports have been continued to dale, and are 

 rendered of great excellence by the reports of 



