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theory and practice of agriculture in this country to encourage 

 that agricultural management which will remove the question 

 of our system of land-holding and farming beyond a doubt, 

 and place it firmly among the prosperous industries of the 

 world, and recognized as such by all men. 



And now, gentlemen, the existence of this society, whose 

 honorable career of more than half a century is known and 

 recognized of all men here, indicates the desire of the farmers 

 of this county for investigation, comparison, education in all 

 the important branches of agriculture. That the desire was 

 created by the necessity, I cannot for a moment doubt. The 

 simple and easy farming of the fathers prospered under the 

 exercise of industry, economy, good judgment, and common 

 sense. But it is not so now. With these facilities the suc- 

 cessful farmer can hardly expect to succeed to the full measure 

 of success unless guided by the best rules laid down by those 

 who have endeavored to apply the results of careful scientific 

 investigation to their work. It is economy that succeeds now ; 

 the economical use of labor, of all the forces used on the farm; 

 the economical use of manure and all fertilizers; the economical 

 feeding of animals; the economical management of the domes- 

 tic affairs of the farm. 



Carelessness and extravagance cannot succeed. The unsys- 

 tematic farmer may live, but he cannot thrive. But he, who with 

 an enlightened mind lays down a definite plan of industry, and 

 follows it, will never be betrayed by that calling which has 

 always responded and will always respond to the earnest 

 endeavor of those who pursue it with wisdom and devotion. 

 We may be inclined to question the value of many of the 

 modes of agricultural education which have been adopted in 

 our day, but let no man, who has the welfare of the country at 



