!) 



202 THE GENESEE FARMEK. 



support of National and State Agricultural Societies. These institutions can be made 

 extremely useful; but they need watching — need popular ".ympathy — need generous 

 support. 



Congress publishes 130,000 volumes a year of agricultural books for general distribu- 

 tion. By placing this branch of business under the direction of the executive officers of 

 a National Society, acting as the federal head of State and County Societies, an annual 

 report on tlie agriculture of the United States might be gotten up far more useful and 

 creditable than that now published, and for less money ; and the boohs might go 

 directly into the hands of State and County Societies, for distribution where they will 

 do most good. In this way the General Government would aid in sustaining, and in 

 the creation of new local Societies, over the whole Union, devoted to the improvement 

 of tillage and llusbandr3^ Suppose there were in our thirty-one States and five Terri- 

 tories, one thousand Societies, and that a National Board should distribute only 100,000 

 volumes a year. Let these books be of the most reliable authority in rural arts and 

 sciences, and properly adapted to the various soils, climates, and circumstances of Amer- 

 ican farmers, and the one hundred new volumes which each Society received every 

 year would render both the Society and the community where it labored, an invaluable 

 service. This arrangement would give members of C-ongress 30,000 volumes for per- 

 sonal distribution ; and if properly made, they woul 1 be worth more than the whole 

 130,000 now are. We think that it needs no argument to satisfy most readers, that 

 politicians are not the best men to control the production of books relating to agricul- 

 ture. The work in all its details should be in the hands, not of government, but of a 

 National Board or Society, appointed by State Boards or Societies. We insist on the 

 point that, something should be done to give the latter a little more means for doing 

 good, and greater dignity and consequence in a nation of farmers. State and County 

 Societies have the power to induce Congress, which now expends over fifty millions of 

 dollars a year, drawn mostly from the soil, to do something for State associations. The 

 officers and members of these Societies have only to unite their influence to carry any 

 reasonable measure. Isolation has ever been the bane of agricultural progress. Nothing 

 can be gained without concert of action, harmony, and perseverance. 



What may be the result of the National Agricultural Convention to assemble in 

 Washington on the 24th of June instant, (we write on the 5th,) we know not ; but 

 from tlie high character of the gentlemen who make the call, we anticipate a favorable 

 issue. Everything, however, depends on the friends of improvement in the several 

 States. If they desire to increase their intercourse with each other, and with the lead- 

 ing friends of agriculture in Europe, they will associate for such and other kindred 

 purposes under a national organization. So great are the facilities for international 

 exchanges of rural knowledge, of seeds, fruits, cuttings, and domestic animals, that the 

 best in the world will come to the door of every farmer, if he will only make a little 

 personal and associated etlbrt in that behalf. Three millions of cultivators and freemen, 

 hiiiied, may do anything and everything that ought to be done. Sustain, then, all 

 existing agricultural Societies, and found new ones wherever needed. 



Salt vouk 'Q_s.\. — It is a first rate practice to scatter a little salt on c\qv\ layer 

 of hay or clover when you are stacking it. Those who have never done so tan 

 scarcely imagine the avidity with which horses and cattle cat the sailed in prefcwviice 

 to the unsalted hay. Especially would we recommend the practice in bad s^-asons, 

 and in slacking <lama<;eJ, or low, wet, meadow liay. It retards fernicnlalion, and 

 imparts such a re-lish that callle sometimes prefer it to good, well cured hay. We 

 have often used it at the rate of four <|uarts to the ton, and have derived much benefit 

 from so doing. Try it. 



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