230 Transactions of tee American Institute. 



of thinking, reading, writing, speaking, and influence not before 

 supposed to exist. No one acquainted with the facts can question 

 that these and similar benefits have resulted from the existence 

 of this institution for the last six years, at an annual expense 

 to each member of about eight cents. The results have not been 

 confined to those only who have attended the meetings, an indirect 

 influence has been operating through the whole vicinity, the efiects 

 of which many years cannot obliterate. I know of no reason 

 why similar eflects would not result from a similar institution, so 

 long, in almost any other locality. One or two etiicient men, with 

 a proper understanding of the case, to act as engineers, always on 

 hand, with fuel for fire, lubricating oil, and tools for repairs, is all 

 that is wanted. As an indication of what is done at our weekly 

 meetings from November to April, the following have been among 

 the subjects of orations, essays, impromptus or discussions, the past 

 season : Butter factories ; Fall v. spring plowing ; General and 

 specific agriculture ; Importance of extempore speaking ; Farming 

 then and now ', Latent powers of man ; Beast and soil ; The potato 

 crop ; Best manner of feeding stock in the fall ; Who is the best 

 farmer ? Wintering sheep ; Application of machinery to farming ; 

 Will book-farming pay ? Influence of agriculture ; Horse-rakes ; Shall 

 we sell our surplus feed or buy stock to consume it ? Wintering stock 

 and feeding cobs ; Efiects of farming upon the disposition ; Advan- 

 tages of warm stables ; What kind of stock is most profitable ; Barn 

 building ; Farm fences ; What stock improves the farm most ? The 

 comfort of farm stock ; The hay crop ; Irish forming ; Stock raising ; 

 Soiling ; Uses of wrinkles on sheep ; Maple sugar making ; Bee cul- 

 ture ; Fruit raising ; Farmers' pumps ; Objects and construction of 

 barns ; Raising calves ; Making farmers' homes attractive ; Best 

 method of keeping cows ; Haying implements ; How to make boys 

 love farming ; Ventilation of stables ; Best kind of fruit. 



Now, gentlemen, by reason of your central position and connec- 

 tion with great journals your power to influence public opinion on 

 this subject is very great. You can promote this fundamental inter- 

 est of society in a remarkable degree by suggestions made at the 

 right time and in the best way to the communities which your jjro- 

 ceedings reach. Will you do it ? 



Mr. Carpenter. — This organization of which our visitor from 

 Yermont has so high an opinion, and perhaps not without reason, is 

 now twenty-eight years old. It was organized in the year 1840, by 



