148 



FARMERS' REGISTER— AGRICULTURAL PREMIUMS. 



The agricultural societies of the northern states 

 stand foremost, both in activity and success in dis- 

 tributing premiums of this kind; and we are more 

 particularly called on to notice them, because their 

 example has more than once been held out to us 

 for imitation. Several numbers on the "Northern 

 Cattle Shows, &c." (which Ave believe were writ- 

 ten by a gentleman who is certainly an able and 

 zealous, though in this and some other things, a 

 mistaken friend to agriculture,) were, for this pur- 

 pose, published in the 2nd. vol. of the American 

 Farmer. In our own justification, therefore, it is 

 necessary to shew that we have not followed, be- 

 cause we do not approve the course thus recom- 

 mended, and not because we are careless of the 

 great objects of our association. 



Though we fj-eely object to the direction of these 

 premiums, we admire and fully estimate the zeal 

 which prompted them, in our sister societies of the 

 north. We also readily acknowledge that their 

 cattle shows and fairs were attended with colla- 

 teral benefits, well worthy the attention of other 

 societies. By thus instituting annual agricultural 

 festivals, the societies were made more important, 

 their meetings interesting, and therefore well at- 

 tended, and many who were attracted only by 

 parade and merriment, were drawn to the support 

 of the zealous and sedate friends of agriculture. 

 By these means, much activity and zeal were sud- 

 denly excited, which we should sincerely regret to 

 see evaporate in producing a few fat beeves and 

 rich acres, without being at all directed to the real 

 improvement of agriculture. AVhen the utter use- 

 lessness of such premiums is seen, as it soon must 

 be, we fear that the zeal which they excited will 

 subside, instead of being turned into a proper chan- 

 nel. 



The recommendation by means of premiums, 

 of practices, which, in themselves are injudicious 

 and unprofitable, is by no means confined to the 

 societies of the northern states. We have seen no 

 list of premiums in the southern states, entirely 

 exempt from th^s fault. Even the British Board 

 of Agriculture is as VAnle to the charge as any as- 

 sociation of inferior celebrity, as may be seen in 

 the account of their last distribution of premiums. 

 Nine bulls of the short horned breed were exhibi- 

 ted, and the premium ibr the finest Avas awarded 

 to one weighing 2465 lbs. which was admitted to 

 be "too fat to serve" in his vocation, or we presume 

 for any other purpose, unless for the tallow chan- 

 dler and soap boiler. An English newspaper, not 

 long since, mentioned another society having con- 

 ferred their gold medal cu some person, who had 

 planted the greatest number of acorns : yet if oaks 

 were more profitable than grain or live stock, there 

 is no doubt that a premium would not be required 

 for the culture — and if not, the uidividual obtained 

 a premium for planting the least profitable crop. 



So far as premiums of the second class (or those 

 for unprofitable practices) have influence on agri- 

 culture, their elfects are injurious; and the best 

 apology which can be made for them, is, that their 

 influence is extremely limited. — That they cannot 

 even indirectly produce the least benefit, is taudit 

 by reason, and confirmed by experience. Within 

 the space of two years, in New York, ^20,000 

 was furnished from the state treasury, in addition 

 U> liie contributions of their numerous aCTicultu- 

 f j>l s6«:ieties, and devoted to premiums. No where 

 hwe they produced so many competitors, or great- 



er exertions for success. Had the plan really tend- 

 ed to extend agricultural knowledge, Ave might 

 have expected as fruits, from so many societies, a 

 mass of agricultural papers. Yet Ave have lately 

 seen published, a circular letter from the Board of 

 Agriculture, Avhich draAvs together all the corres- 

 pondence of the societies, requesting from private 

 individuals, such communications as may enable 

 the board to print a volume. We mean to cast no 

 reilection on tlie iarmers Avho compose these so- 

 cieties; Ave doubt not their ability to have supplied 

 the deficiency, Avhich the circular letter admits to 

 exist. We see too much of this deplorable inert- 

 ness in our oAvn members to be surprised at the 

 same fault in others. Nor do we mention these 

 facts in triumph, or Avith the vieAV of affecting a 

 superiority, to Avhich, in this respect, Ave have no 

 pretensions. We revicAV the course of our res- 

 pected ielloAV laborers to shoAv, that all the stimu- 

 lus afforded by their premiums, has not at all ad- 

 vanced their. knoAvledge of agriculture, nor in any 

 way promoted its interest or improvement. 



Though our opinions Avouldtend greatly to limit 

 the range of premiums, there still remain enough 

 objects, for Avhich they Avould be highly useful. 

 All these Avill be found in what Ave have called 

 the third class, i. c. practices, of Avhich the actual 

 or comparative profits are doubtful, or disputed; 

 and Avhich, therefore, are proper subjects for in- 

 vestigation by experiments. But premiums are 

 as often throAvn away on this class as on the other 

 two. This must be the case, Avhenever a premium 

 is given for obtaining some specified result, as for 

 example, for the heaviest crop of Avoad or madder, 

 instead of for making such experiments as Avould 

 sheAv the degree of profit, or loss, attending those 

 ncAV crops. Many of the premiums usually given 

 are of this class, and courtesy^ requires that all 

 should be considered as such, according to the 

 opinions of the societies conferring them; for no- 

 thing could be more absurd than proposing pre- 

 miums for practices, Avhich they themselves knew 

 to be unprofitable. Premiums may produce fine 

 acres of wheat in Massachusetts, or of clover in 

 Lower Virginia, and yet leaA'e the profit or loss as 

 uncertain as before.* 



Accurate experiments on any doubtful points 

 are ahvays valuable to agriculturists in general, 

 but in far the greater number of cases, cause loss 

 to their conductor. Hence the peculiar propriety 

 of encouraging experiments by premiums. An 

 agricultural experimenter may, possibly, by some 

 fortunate discovery, compensate himself for his 

 previous losses ; but such good fortune is rare, and 

 most persons, Avho in this Avay have rendered sig- 

 nal services to farmers, have done so by great in- 

 dividual sacrifices. This great obstacle is not the 

 only one Avhich opposes the correct method of in- 

 vestigation, and the advancement of the science of 

 agriculture. NotAvilhstanding the certain atten- 

 dant loss, every zealous farmer is, to some extent, 

 an experimenter. But the results of his experiments 

 are not known except to himself, and even to him 

 many appear useless, Avhich if compared Avith those 

 of others, Avould lead to important consequences. 



*Wlien this report Avas made, the use of calcareous 

 manures Avas but httle knoAvn in lower Virginia, and 

 still less Avas their effect of making clover profitable on 

 soils, Avhich before Avere incapable of sustaining its most 

 feeble existence. — [F,d. Far. Eeg. 



