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tural information. Distant from the busier scenes of life, tlicy not 

 only foster the virtues essential to manly character, but they also 

 often attain great practical skill in their profession. To them we 

 are indebted for many valuable suggestions. Such a commission 

 brings to many information respecting the Society, which they 

 would else not have, interests them in its objects and operations, 

 gives opportunities for inquiries, explanations, and inducements to 

 join us, and to make themselves and their doings known b}'- coming 

 to the Society's meetings and exhibitions. It sometimes enables us 

 to remove prejudices that have been formed against the Society, 

 through misapprehension of its purposes. In many obvious ways 

 it adds to the Society's strength, benefits and general prosperity. 

 We have only made a beginning ; and would recommend that 

 another Committee be appointed for the ensuing year, charged to 

 commence operations in the spring and continue them to October, 

 — to make dihgent and minute inquiries and report them in detail. 



This Committee visited a number of the best farms, — especially 

 in the north and west portions of the County ; — and gained valua- 

 ble information respecting the cultivation of grains, potatoes, grass, 

 fruit and vegetables. Wherever we went we were courteously 

 welcomed and hospitably entertained, and everywhere found facil- 

 ities for acquiring the knowledge we sought. Our limited ability, 

 arising from the circumstances mentioned above, prevents us from 

 making such a detailed report as Ave could wish ; but we saw abun- 

 dant evidences of the improving condition of Agriculture in the 

 County. We saw a general disposition on the part of farmers to 

 avail themselves of the agricultural information diffused by the 

 Society's Reports, and by weekly papers devoted to this subject ; 

 a willingness in many to overcome traditional prejudices, and to 

 accept the improvements suggested by modern science ; — a desire 

 to experiment with new manures and to test the expediency of new 

 crops ; — a better appreciation of the importance of deep ploughing 

 and thorough cultivation, and of the superior advantages of high- 

 bred stock for the dairy ; — and a growing conviction that under 

 suitable conditions, — conditions within the reach of most, — farm- 

 ing may be a profitable business. 



In some parts of the County less land is under tillage than for- 

 merly, much having |been suffered to run up to wood. In poor 

 soils this may be good policy. But, as an offset, a good deal has 



