292 



NEW ElNGI^AND FARMEfi. 



[April 8, 



From the proceedings of the J^tio York Legislature. 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



MtKeyes, from the committee of agriculture, 

 reported : th;it they have maturely weighed the 

 important subject committed to their charge, 

 with all the attention due to an object of such 

 primary magnitude, involving the vital interests 

 of our constituents. 



The novelty of the subject has induced the 

 committee to seek, from various sources, the best 

 information in their power, in reference to the 

 results of experiments recently made, by various 

 agricultural societies, not only in this slate, but 

 in contiguous states, as a basis on which they 

 could safely ri^pose their own opinions. 



When the agricultural huv was first agitated, 

 by the legislature of 1819, we were approach- 

 ing an experiment entirely new to the citizens 

 of this state. It may be truly said, that the leg- 

 islature of that year was groping in the dark, on 

 that subject, without any practical experience to 

 direct their course. Hence it neccssarili/ follow- 

 ed, that the law, intended merely as an experi- 

 ment, was essentially defective in its provisions. 



The two prominent features of the law were, 

 an appropriation often thousand dollars yearly, 

 for two yewrs, exclusively devoted to premiums 

 on agriculture, and domestic manufactures — also 

 the establishment of a board of agriculture, to 

 consist of all presidents of county agricultural so- 

 cieties in this state, a president, vice president, 

 secretary and treasurer, for the immediate di- 

 jection of the affairs of said board, with power 

 to procure foreign seeds, and publish an annual 

 volume on agriculture, he. 



On the 10th of January 1820, twentv-four 

 jjresidents ot agricultural societies, accordingly 

 convened, at the capilol, in the city of Albany, 

 and organized a board of agriculture, in pursu- 

 ance of law. In framing the law, it was made 

 the duty of the several county agricultural soci- 

 eties, to applj' a sum equal to that ivhich they 

 respectively receive from the state treasury, in 

 whole or in part, of the amount apportioned to 

 each county, on the scale of j)npulation. It was 

 also provided that all successful candidates for 

 premiums on agriculture, should, previous to 

 the receipt of any such premiums, furnisli a 

 statement, in writing, of the manner of cultiva- 

 ting the several articles, the nature of the soil, 

 the application of manures, the feeding of ani- 

 mals, 8ic. The law in this essential feature, has 

 never been enforced; for the most part, it was 

 totally disregarded; l)y which means the board 

 of agriculture has been deprived of an important 

 mass of documents, which was anticipated by 

 the law, to serve as the basis of an auTual volume 

 on agriculture, &,c. It appears, th.it the whole 

 amount drawn (rom the treasury, by the county 

 agricultural societies, from the year 1819 to the 

 first of February 182j, is $46,337 36, being up- 

 wards of 13,000 dollars short of the sum ap- 

 j)rnpriated by law. In the same period a single 

 individual [Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer] has 

 paid, for the same object, the sura of ^3000. — 

 The board of agriculture have also received, in 

 like period, the sum of ^5,840, as will more 



in the vigor of life, of business habits, and in all 

 respects qualified to discharge the im|)orlant 

 duties which would devolve on him ; to be com- 

 pensated tor his services in the manner of the 

 other departments of the state. No man will 

 devote himself for any length of time, in gratui- 

 tous services, purely of a public nature. It is, 

 indeed, unworthy the magnanimity ol' the dignifi- 

 ed state of New York, to seek, or to admit such 

 self devotion ; especially as no other ofKcer in 

 any department of the stale, can render services 

 equally important to the general interests of the 



fully ap|iear by the schedule hereunto annexed 



Instf id of a board of agriculture, as instituted by ^..v... .,,. .......... , .^.uii.>., ^w,.,,,,.^>, „.>., ,w...j, 



the law of 1819, it was urged by the projectors ! and while protiting by the experience of other 

 of the syst-m, that an agricultural department countries, to be applicable in its general features 



community. The duties of such a department, 

 will be varioiis and extensive, involving the pri- 

 mary interests ol the state, in:ismuch as it will be 

 a stationary central point of communication with 

 all our county societies, acting as a pendulum, 

 impelling the movements of the whole mar.hin- 

 ery. It will also maintain a correspondence 

 with the leading agricultural societies in Europe 

 and in South America, and generally through- 

 out the United States : more especially, with 

 our own societies; also with our public func- 

 tionaries in foreign countries, under the patron- 

 age of the secretary of the United States. By 

 these means, we can draw to a point, from all 

 the countries, a knowledge of such improve- 

 ments in agriculture and the arts, as may be 

 found useful to ourselves. 



The committee are lully aware, indeed it is 

 manifest on the slightest review of the whole 

 ground, lh;it if it should enter into the views of 

 the legislaliue, to avail ourselves, to the full ex- 

 tent, of such important inlbrmation ; and to give 

 effect and maturity to the system ; it is in some 

 measure indispensable, to establish nn ex[)eri- 

 monlal farm, in connexion with' an agricultural 

 seminary. While the committee indulge a be- 

 lief, that such a system will eventually be es- 

 tablished in its full extent, yet they apprehend 

 the public sentiment is not yet sufficiently ma- 

 lured to embrace the plan ; although nothing in 

 their view would lend to promote the public 

 good wilh such decisive effect. A similar plan 

 being now in agitation in Pennsylvania, it is 

 [irobable that they will soon furnish us with a 

 salutary example, and that a spirit of emulation, 

 \vhich has thus far characterized the two states, 

 in the race of useful improvements, will (jieedi- 

 ly prompt us to pursue the same course. \\\\h 

 these remarks, the committee proceed to point 

 out some of the benefits which will i-mmcdiale- 

 ly result from the establis'iment of a dc[)arlmeii! 

 of agriculture. Should it be vested witii ample 

 powers to regulate the annual agricultural exhi- 

 bition, by uniform restrictions and regulations, 

 and to enlorce the provisions of the law, it will 

 be enabled to concentrate within our own bor- 

 ders a a mass of im|)orlant matter, from vvhich, 

 and in conformity to the original intent of the 

 law of 1819, may be compiled an interesting an- 

 nual volume i'ov practical iilititii ; unfolding the 

 progress and imp'ovement in the science of ag- 

 riculture, and the arts ; in our domeslick animals ; 

 together with detailed experiments in all our 

 counties, and the progressive means, by which 

 they were gradually elTected, with information 

 of new improvements in a successlul train of 



prosecution 



Such an annual volume, compiled with ability, 



should be estal)|ished, in preference ; that is to 

 say, a public oflice, to be conducted by a man 



to the genius and habits of our own country, in 

 place of aservile imitation of any othercountry ; 



and wrote in a condensed form, in a perspicuous 

 and familiar language, will produce more sub- 

 stantial and practical benefit, than all the vol- 

 uminous works on agriculture, which have ap- 

 peared in this state since the termination of the 

 revolutionary war. 



To insure such a result, each volume should 

 not exceed from two hundred to two hundred and 

 fifty pages. Some prominent subjects should al- 

 so be illustrated by cheap plates; and large edi- 

 tions published for general circulation, to all 

 our agricultural societies ; to be attached to pre- 

 miums, or to be generally distributed to the 

 members gratuitously. 



From their views of the whole subject, and 

 profiling in some measure by a liberal experi- 

 ment of six years, the committee respectfully 

 recommenil — 



First — That a department of agriculture he 

 established in the city of Albany, to be conduct- 

 ed by an officer, to be denominated Secretary of 

 the Dcparlment of .>]gricutture : who shall have 

 lone assistant, shouhl his services, in the opinion 

 ! of the governor, be deemed expedient and neces- 

 saiy ; the duties and poweis to be conferreil on 

 the department to be fully defined in the bnv. 



Second — A board of agriculture to be also or- 

 ganized, to incur no expense to the state, with 

 the exception of the incidental charges at their 

 respective meetings. The board to consist of 

 thirly-two members of the legislature; to be 

 elected each year, the second Tuesday after 

 they shall as-emlde, by the joint ballot of houses, 

 lour Irom each senatorial district. Also the 

 governor, and lieutenanl-governor, for the time 

 being, the heads of departments, presidents of 

 the county agricultural societies, and honorary 

 men'.bers; the latter may deliberate but not vole. 

 It shall be the duty of the secretary of the de- 

 paiiment -of agriculture, to submit ail bis reports 

 and proceedings to said board of agriculture, 

 and lie governed by their directions, in relation 

 to the publication of the annual volume, and gen- 

 erally by such rules, regulations and instructions 

 as said board may adopt iVom time to lime ia 

 conformity to law. 



Third — The sum often thousand dollars to 

 be appropriated yearly, for the term often 

 years, to be exclusively paid in premiums ; and 

 apportioned to each counly, on the ratio of pop. 

 ulalion : subject lo such rules and regulations, 

 as may be deemed expedient ; and such as will 

 ensure a punctual compliance with the provi- 

 sions of the law, and uliich shall obviate the in- 

 conveniences and reproaches, which have been 

 justly incurred in some counties, gieally to the 

 prejudice of the benign effect' generally grow- 

 ing out of the measures of agricultural societies. 



The committee cannot entertain a doubt, but 

 that a system thus organized for the |)romotion 

 of agriculture, household manufactures, and the 

 im|irovement of the breed of domestic animals, 

 \\\\\ produce the most beneficial effects, and per- 

 vade our entire population, extending from out" 

 commercial cities to the most remote hamlets ; 

 constantly in a progressive slate, and which in 

 connexion with our canals, will in a few revol- 

 ving years elevate the state of New York to an 

 enviable position, as well in America as in the 

 eyes of the world. 



In evidence of these anticipated effects, the 

 committee will conclude their remarks, by some 

 striking illustrations as well in our own state as 

 in some of the contiguous ststes. We can also 



