STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 111 



Nor can I presume that my dictum will weigh in your opinions 

 against the testimony of so many chemists who have long been 

 considered reliable. My only plan, then, is to publish my 

 results uninfluenced by authorities, — to question no man's 

 motives, and in the conflict that must inevitably arise as to 

 the merits of manures and of analyses, involving of course 

 the reputation of dealers and chemists, I have to defend my- 

 self as I can with truth, or failing, be silenced. 



As my analyses are not finished my opinions founded on 

 them and here expressed are only provisional, and you will 

 therefore please not to use them in any public manner. Yours 

 faithfully, S. W. Johnson. 



Mr. Joseph Harris, editor of the Genesee Farmer, 

 sent these words of approbation on July 13, 1856: 



I am glad you have undertaken the analyses of the various 

 artificial manures. It has long been wanted. I fear you may 

 get into trouble. I have had one or two letters already speak- 

 ing in no very flattering terms of the writer in the Home- 

 stead. Your method of estimating value is doubtless correct, 

 but I think you will find no manure in this country that, 

 according to this estimate, is worth the money charged for it. 



Henry A. Dyer, a student in the "Old Lab." in 

 1851-5,2, was associated with his father in extensive 

 agricultural enterprises in Windham County, Con- 

 necticut. At the organization of the State Agricul- 

 tural Society he became its corresponding secretary; 

 he was also largely concerned in the establishment of 

 the Homestead in 1851. Late in November 1856, Mr. 

 Dyer wrote to Professor Johnson : 



Mason C. "Weld has started a project ... in reference to 

 the Annual Meeting of the State Agricultural Society. He 

 proposes to have the meeting more after the order of a delib- 



