8 [Assembly 



The Farmer's Club of the Institute has met semi-monthly through 

 the year — besides holding frequent adjourned meetings. They have 

 been well attended and great spirit manifested — abstracts of the pro- 

 ceedings have been published, and extensively circulated. Farmers who 

 have attended have frequently expressed their gratification in the most 

 enthusiastic terms. When a subject has been under consideration, some 

 accurate observing farmer brings the experience of a whole life to 

 bear upon it — others follow, and a variety of experiments made under 

 various circumstances applying to the same subject, with particulars 

 of their success or failure are related, which with the scientific expla- 

 nations — causes and efTects are made known to the perfect satisfactior? 

 of those with whom all was mystery before. The freedom of ques- 

 tions and answers, enables those who desire to arrive at the exact 

 point of information sought, and thus avoid the sacrifices of fruitless 

 experiments, the dread of which has induced thousands to persevere 

 in the old routine of their fathers. 



Thus improvements in farming have been comparatively stationary, 

 while ihe mechanic arts have progressed far beyond the most sanguine 

 anticipations, multiplied and cheapened the comforts of our whole 

 race, and for the purposes of commerce and social intercourse placed 

 distant countries in proximity to each other. 



The early and successful operations of this club has induced the 

 forn)ation of a great number of others, from which useful communi- 

 cations have been received. Clubs are formed in some States in every 

 county, and arrangements are making in a neighboring county in this 

 iSlate for the organization of clubs in all the towns. Two have re- 

 cently been formed in New-Jersey, and two on Long Island. Farmer's 

 clubs, we believe, are destined to extend over the whole country. 

 iScalter knowledge among the secluded husbandmen [ and breakdown 

 the prejudices which have retarded their advance in improvements, 

 and by the lights of science elevate them lo a position corresponding 

 with the intrinsic importance of their occupation. Great quantities of 

 rare and useful seeds have been received, and distributed wiihin the 

 last year — more than thirty varieties at a single meeting, many of them 

 obtained through government agents, naval officers, missionaries, trav- 

 elers &c , in foreign countries. No small proportion of the most ad- 

 mired productions, bcth of the farm and garden, exhibited at the last 

 fair, were from seeds supplied by the club. Our table has been often 

 covered with grafts of choice fruit, which have been carefully and dis- 

 creetly distributed. 



