MR. PERRY S ADDRESS. 23 



prise of those who were engaged in carrying this order into effect, — 

 but not enough to answer the necessities of the community on 

 those subjects which this Society is designed to promote. A 

 careful analysis of the soil in every locality is wanted. The 

 chemical alterations required to render it most productive, and 

 the medium by which these changes can be effected, should be 

 explained. And till this is effected the farming interest will not 

 flourish as it ought, nor will the noble purposes of this Society 

 be crowned with full success. There are men in this county 

 ably qualified for this business, and there are riches enough : if 

 therefore the funds of this Society are not adequate to the ex- 

 pense of such an undertaking, I am persuaded that a special ap- 

 peal made to the public spirit of an enlightened and liberal com- 

 munity, would meet with the most encouraging success. I must 

 therefore express my strong hope, that these suggestions will so 

 commend themselves to the enterprising and enlightened Directors 

 of this Society, that they w^ill take measures to carry the plan 

 into operation. 



It is certainly desirable to have a more full and general exhi- 

 bition of the various productions of agriculture and manufacture 

 than has hitherto been obtained. A desire to obtain the premium 

 for an article offered when fairly entitled to it, is by no means an 

 improper motive for exhibiting what persons may suppose of pe- 

 culiar merit ; for thus a man only receives from the public which 

 is to be benefited by his improvement, a remuneration always 

 small enough for what as a first experiment must have required 

 special effort and expense. 



This inducement to bring out the results of labor and skill 

 should not therefore be withdrawn ; yet experience has shown 

 that it is not broad enough, nor elevated enough, nor powerful 

 enough, to secure the object in view. We never have on these 

 occasions any thing like a general and full specimen of the in- 

 dustry and skill of the citizens of this county. Other motives of 

 a higher and more influential character must be called in. Men 

 should be made more impressively to understand and feel, that 

 the object of this institution being public, it should receive the 

 active and ready support and countenance of an enlightened 



