30 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ment, on the part of Congress, of the American Nautical 

 Almanac Office, and other similar scientific enterprises which 

 contribute so much to the honor and glory of the country. 



Now the position of the sovereigns I have named as having 

 formed large breeding establishments for the improvement of 

 stock, is not our position, it is true, but the fact that they have 

 adopted this as one of the prominent modes of advancing the 

 interests of their respective countries, is a strong evidence of its 

 great public importance. Of this, indeed, there can be no 

 question in the mind of any intelligent man. And because we 

 have no emperor, no king, no life-long ruler, and don't want 

 one, to do this great service to the public, is it any reason why 

 we shouldn't take hold and do it ourselves for our own benefit ? 

 Or rather, isn't it the very reason why we should ? We can do 

 it. Every public institution which has a farm attached can do 

 it, and do it well. We have three State Almshouses, and three 

 Asylums, while every town has its poor farm. I hope they will 

 not wait for public sentiment, but go ahead and trust to a just 

 appreciation of their efforts on the part of the people, which is 

 sure to follow sooner or later. To do the tiling rightly, they 

 should not experiment with different breeds, but leave that to 

 the Agricultural College, or to enterprising individuals, and 

 select one first-rate breed adapted to the wants of the vicinity, 

 and stick exclusively to that, till a reputation is secured. 



The sovereigns I have named as engaged in the laudable 

 endeavor to improve the stock of their respective countries, by 

 means of great breeding establishments, are doing for their 

 people what the people cannot so well do for themselves. 



With us the people are sovereign. They have not the perma- 

 nent individual will at their head to do these tilings, but every 

 intelligent man can see the importance of such efforts for the 

 public good. Now I say, in want of a better place, the farms 

 connected with our public institutions should keep this object in 

 view. They can do it and not increase the expense, if the 

 officers connected with them possess the requisite skill and 

 judgment in selection and breeding. If they do not, the 

 importance to the public is so great that they should set 

 themselves at work to acquire it. 



These suggestions apply not to one, but to all our public 

 establishments that possess farms. Let them make up their 



