No 216.] 775 



ing prepared in our Senate, it will there probably find favor, and 

 such is the growth of opinion in this respect, that we believe the 

 House of Assembly will concur with the Senate in giving to New 

 York the first practical establiskment of the kind in the United States. 

 I call for the reading of the Resolutions recently adopted by the 

 State Agricultural Society. They were read as follows, viz: 



Resolved, That a complete and liberal system of agricultural edu- 

 t;ation will enable the farmer to enhance the value of his landed 

 property, and give him the knowledge to improve the same, and 

 change the various modes of culture. 



Resolved, That science applied to agriculture should hold a prom- 

 inent place in all our seats of learning, and that a properly organized 

 and well directed Agricultural School, embracing a model and ex- 

 perimental farm, would conduce to the elevation, and promotion of 

 "Sound instruction among the industrial classes. 



Resolved, That the time has arrived for the establishment of such 

 a system of education and the object is every way worthy of private 

 and legislative approval. 



Mr. Wakeman. The advantage of the Experimental Farm in 

 testing seeds and plants, and delivering to the public none but such 

 as are authentic and warranted, would be very great. For it is in 

 this branch of business that the greatest difficulty is found. When 

 once established, the Farm would be looked to from all quarters for 

 true plants and seeds. As is now the situation of this business not 

 one in ten of the plants and seeds are fairly tested. They come by 

 ship, thence to stores, thence to individuals, and many a disappoint- 

 ment awaits the unlucky buyer. 



It is well for us to compare the vegetables on our modern tables 

 with those of former times. I hold AlcCulloch in my hand — and 

 he says that potatoes, turnips and clover were introduced into En- 

 gland as late as the 17th century. What a poor table of vegetables 

 did they spread before that timel No potatoes, no tumeps,no toma- 

 toes, no rich English puddings, hominie, &c. In our experimental 

 farm, how many plants of acclimation we might have! Of precious 

 seedlings how stinted is now their distribution. I brought a deli- 

 cious seed apple from Bergen here, but it is now hardly known to 

 exist. Here in this great mart of commerce must be the concentra- 

 tion, and from hence the distribution throughout the land; pure seeds, 

 |)lants and animals, of all things useful to agriculture. 



