16 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Jan. 



The Society on receiving this donation, gave this 

 much merited testimonial to their fellow citizen : 



Whereas, the Hon. Zadock Pratt, with his characteristic 

 liberality, ha.s presented to this Society the sum of $350, 

 and this donation furnishing another evidence (among 

 numerous other instances) of his good will towards, and 

 attachment to the interests of the Society, as well as 'of his 

 generous disposition, and a desire to promote all useful and 

 laudable purposes and pursuits. Therefore — 



Resolved, That the thanks of the Greene County Agricul- 

 tural Society be presented to the Hon. Zadock Pratt, for 

 the munificent gift, together with the best wishes of the 

 Society for a long life to him of public usefulness and honor, 

 and for his individual happiness. 



lie was three times elected President of the 

 Society, and declined, at their meeting in 1847, a 

 re - election. He addressed some appropriate remarks 

 on that occasion, to a large assembly of farmers at 

 Windham, at the Annual Show, and congratulated 

 them upon the improved condition of agriculture in 

 our state. He spoke of the energy and zeal with 

 which the farmers of Greene had come up to this 

 great festival — ;i As lords of the soil, with cheerful 

 faces and hearts overflowing with gratitude at their 

 privileges in this land of the free, where, by the 

 labor of their own hands, they earned their own 

 bread — members, too, of a government which de- 

 rived its powers from them — what was to prevent 

 them from being happy ? This day is indeed the 

 Farmer's Jubilee — a day of thanksgiving for the 

 abundant products of our land, as well as for life, 

 liberty and happiness — a day to rest from the toils 

 of labor, unbend the bow, compare notes with each 

 other, extend acquaintance — in short, the great 

 Intellectual Feast of the farmer," 



After introducing the orator on this occasion, (Mr. 

 Jonx.soiN, of Albany,) he held up to the view of the 

 audience a silver medal awarded him for the best 

 hemlock tanned leather by the American Institute. 

 '■Every man," said lie. "possesses some pride, and it 

 ■ a well it was so, else why were we here to-day ? 

 The great object of life is to be useful — and why 

 then should we be as misers, who keep their money 

 out of sight, to do no good to themselves or to any 

 body else. 'Tis for this reason I show you thistesti- 

 monial — how else would you know it?" 



The Report which Col. Pratt made to the State 

 Society of the proceedings of the Society of his 

 county, during the year 1847, which will be found in 

 the Transactions of the Society, is among the noblest 

 and most useful reports in thai excellehl volume. It 

 "i extended account of the history, condition 

 and resources of the county, and may well serve as 

 a model for other societies in making up their reports. 



We cannot b< !!■ r conclude this brief article, than 

 by copying the following from a notice of Mr. Pratt, 

 which we find in the Knickerbocker Magazine, for 

 January, 1847 : — 



While in Congress, -Mi-. Pratt devoted himself to the 

 of legislation ; and bis example certainly demonstrates 

 ■ i ending men of practical business hal 



nl;| ' nati >na! council, and shows 'how much thai is really 

 important to the people no ij I e pi rformed by our man, \\ hen 

 he i< in. .re anxious in act than to speak.' His speeches were 

 " d to i lain st ten* iiis of important fcu i which lie had 

 thoroughly investigated. Il is to Mr. Pratt, is i m 

 oi t'lr eongri sionaj committi e on public buildings, thai the 

 I is indebted for the beautiful General Post Offici 

 "in..-,.; but f„r his exertions, it would have been ei 

 "' the poro ind-stone which in process of time crui 

 like wet gingcrbr< id, instead of the admirable marble oi 

 n it is constructed. He was an early and ardent advo- 

 f the cheap postage reform; of the improvement of the 

 lie grounds at Washington ; he introduced the resolution 



for the Branch Mint at New York ; for the publication and 

 engraving of all the important inventions patented at Wash- 

 ington, to be distributed throughout the country ; torequin . 

 once every two years, an inventory of the public property in 

 the hands of public agents ; for the establishment of n 

 Bureau of Statistics ; and various other important measures, 

 which we have not space to enumerate, being over fifty in 

 all. indeed, the reports made to Congress by -Mr. Pratt 

 cover more than a thousand pages, during his career in that 

 body, to which he declined a re-election, in an able address to 

 his constituents, giving a faithful account of his stewardship. 

 At first a poor boy. yet always true to the " dignity of 

 labor ; : ' energetic and persevering; living with and not 

 upon his neighbors, as he advanced in means ; liberal and 

 true-hearted, in private as in public life, Mr. Pratt presents 

 an example which we hope will be lost upon no young 

 reader of these pages. We are glad to know that he is still 

 in the prime of life, and in the full enjoyment of his bodily 

 and mental vigor ; a fact, indeed, which is sufficiently 

 evinced by his portrait, which combines, in no ordinary 

 degree, the appearance of health, self-possessed dignity, 

 firmness and kindness. In looking at this picture, in hearing 

 the original converse, and in reading the sketch of his life. 

 we have been confirmed in a long-settled belief that that 

 man is scarcely half-educated who has not in his early years 

 had something to struggle for, and who has not at some 

 period of his life lived among " the people" in the country. 

 There is scarcely one of our most eminent public men 

 whose private and public history is not an illustration of this 

 undeniable feet ; and it is a fact full of encouragement and 

 hope to the toiling, self-denying, self-respecting country boy. 



In whatever position we view the character of Col. 

 P., whether as a farmer, tanner, legislator or banker, 

 he has been eminently successful, without impeding 

 the progress of others — developing those rare 

 qualities which are so happily united in him. of 

 sound judgment, prompt and efficient action and 

 execution and far reaching sagacity, blended with 

 the kindest and most benevolent impulses. Such is 

 a brief history of one who has thus far lived only to 

 do good", and whose life we trust will long be spared 

 to bless his country and the world. 



We close by mentioning the highly honorable fact 

 thai Col. Pratt is the first self-taught farmer and 

 mechanic in our country, who has received the 

 honorary degree of Master of Arts, from one of our 

 highest literary institutions — an honor richly mer- 

 ited by him, and reflecting credit on the distinguished 

 insl itution (Union College) by which it was conferred. 



ROOT AND BUSH PULLEE. 



This implement is very efl'ective in tearing out 

 stools or clumps of small bushels, which grow in 

 wet. boggy land. It is made by inch and inch and 

 a half bar iron, with two. three, or four prongs, 

 weighing from twenty to forty pound.-. The ground 

 is first, if the roots are large and thick, loosened 

 around the hushes, when the claw or pull is fastened 

 ■ side, and a pair of oxen attached by mean oi 

 a chain to the implement. At the word given, the 

 bushes are torn out by the roots. One man, with a 

 smart and well broken pair of oxen, will thus do the 

 work of ten men. Price from $2 to $5, Manufac- 

 tured by Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, Boston, and for 

 sale at the Albany and other Ag'l Warehou.es. 



