Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 229 



Farmers' Clubs. 



After alluding to the fundamental and perpetual character of the 

 agricultural interest, Mr. Nutting proceeded as follows : 



" I would fain saj something to arouse you, fellow-farmers, to a 

 sense of your situation and responsibility, to lead you to magnify 

 your calling and make it honorable, more honorable, most honorable. 

 To this end I would enforce upon you the importance of recommend- 

 ing the organization and sustaining of farmer's clubs or farmers' 

 lyceums in all parts of the country, I know of no means by which 

 so great and good effects can be produced with so little expense of 

 effort and money. The reports of the American Institute Farmers' 

 Club constitute one of the great attractions of those papers whicb 

 regularly publish them to a great proportion of their country readers, 

 and they are often referred to as authorit}' upon disputed points. 

 While this Club, I suppose, exists chiefly if not wholly for agricul- 

 tural improvement, I think country clubs should have other 

 objects as elements of pei'manency and interest. As an illus- 

 tration of my views, I will mention the " Randolph Farmer's 

 Lyceum," which was organized six years ago, by the persist- 

 ent efforts of one man, with thirteen members, and has continued till it 

 now numbers over 100 members, with continually increasing interest 

 and usefulness. Its objects are, the acquisition and dissemination of 

 agricultural knowledge; promotion of acquaintance, and friendsliip 

 among townsmen ; personal improvement in thinking, reading, 

 writing, and speaking; improvement of farms, buildings, imjilements 

 and stocks. All other subjects excluded. Its good effects are very 

 perceptible in the increased spirit of inquiry and investigation wliicli 

 exists; the greater number of agricultural books and periodicals 

 read; the better employment of spare time in reading and writing, 

 rather than in indolence and vice ; the increased willingness of 

 farmers' boys to stay at home, insteadof hurrying ofi' to the city for 

 other business; in the greater readiness to make experiments \\\ all 

 departments of farming, believing that all but divine knovrledge is 

 the result of experiment ; the improved appearance of farms and farm 

 buildings; the better adaptation and construction of buildings to the 

 ends sought; the improvement of all kinds of farm stock; the 

 increased amount of barn manure made and stock kept ; the increased 

 fertility of the soil; the better quality and greater number of labor- 

 saving implements ; the good will and kind feeling promoted among 

 the members ; the development of dormant energies ; powers 



