AGRICULTURAL SURVEYS. CHARACTER. 231 



so as to bring in fresh infusions of spirit and judgment, keeping pace with the 

 progress of iinprovement, and leaving no opportunity for the formation of cliques 

 or combinations such as might naturally be expected to result from having men 

 appoint their own successors, with power to " hold over " in everything but the 

 name of being President. We speak of the principle, not of the men — priiici' 

 pia non homines — but it would be in principle just as reasonable to have other 

 Presidents or chief executive officers sitting in council for life. Instead of be- 

 ing members of the Executive Committee, ex officio, they should be rendered 

 expressly ineligible. 



J. S. Skinnur, Esq. Agricultural Rooms, Albant, June 10, 1847. 



Dear Sir — I send you by to-day's mail the "Albany Evening Journal," which 

 contains a notice of a proposed Survey of Washington County, under the direc- 

 tion of the New- York State Agricultural Society. We are desirous of making 

 progress, and if we can obtain thorough and minute Agricultural Surveys of the 

 several Counties in the State, we shall ascertain the defects of farming — the 

 means necessary to revive and improve the condition of the farmer, and to in- 

 crease our crops, and adapt them also to soils and locations most congenial. — 

 Dr. Asa Fitch, who has been selected to perform the Survey, is every way 

 well calculated to do the work thoroughl3% and I hope much good will result 

 from It. 



I have just seen your June No. of the Library, and thank you for the notice 

 of our Premium List, &c. We are ever gJad to receive suggestions as to its 

 improvement — our only desire being to make it as perfect as we can, and as 

 liberal as our means will justify. 



You make some inquiries, under the head of "Scraps," as to crops reported 

 at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the N. Y. State Agricultural Soci- 

 ety. In relation to some of those, the entire crop Avas shelled and measured 

 after being in a merchantable condition. In the Transactions, Avhich I forward 

 you to-day by express, you will find the statements and proofs as referred to 

 below, viz. : 



Charles W. Eels, Kii'kland, Oneida Co. — 123J bushels corn per acre. Vide proofs page 162. 



This was a crop raised without any extraordinary application of manure. 



Wheat. — Daniel Short, Richmond, Ontario Co. — See statement, p. 593. 178 bushels, 3 pecks, 

 by actual measurement, on 3 1-lCO acres of land : 60 bushels per acre, by weight. 



The cultivation in ordinary manner. 



Oats. — \Vm. C. Burrett. — 102 bushels per acre, by weight. 



The statement accompanying this was duly verified by affidavit and witnesses, 

 as to measurement, land, harvesting, and threshing and measuring crop — grain 

 from entire piece, &c. 



Our Societies are requiring, more generally than formerly, the measurement 

 of the entire crop, which is the only true test of the actual yield. 



You inquire as to Committees on Agriculture in our Legislature. The Com- 

 mittee in the House of Assembly made a Report on the subject of Agricultural 

 Education, which is published in our Transactions. The Committee in the Sen- 

 ate did not make any Report on the subject of Agriculture. I give you the 

 names of the Committees : 



In the Senate— J. B. Smith, Long Island; J. P. Bef.kma.v, Columbia; C. Emmons, Erie. 



In the Axxembh/ — A. Beckvvith, Herldmer; S. Lawrence, Tompkins; A. G. Vanderbilt, 

 Dutchess; J. McGoNEGAL, Monroe; Wm. Temple, Otsego. 



It will give me great pleasure to furnish you with any information which I 

 can give from this quarter, and I hope you will freely communicate with me in 

 relation to any matters you desire information upon herfe. 



I am, respectfully, yours, 



iJENJ. P. JOHNSON. Secretary N. Y. S. Ag. Soa 



fW The character of those who are tnily wise, when contrasted with the assuming air of 

 the ignorant, may be compared to the different appearances of wheal, which, while its ear 

 is empty, holds up its head proudly; but as soon as it is filled with grain bends modestly 

 down and retires from observation. 

 1471) 



