THE FARMERS' CLUB. 



This Club was organized on the 22d day of June, 1843, and is the oldest 

 association of the kind in the United States. Its affairs are conducted 

 under the auspices of the American Institute, and under the immediate 

 direction and control of the Committee on Agriculture. It is purely a vol- 

 untary association, and its meetings are entirely free and open to farmers and 

 others, from any part of the State of New York or elsewhere. The entire 

 expenses are borne by the American Institute, whose recording secretary 

 acts as the secretary of the Club. Some of the most distinguished of the 

 scientific men of our country, as well as amateurs and practical farmers, 

 take part in its proceedings. So far as is consistent with the dignity and 

 importance of the matters under discussion— a colloquial rather than a 

 didactic turn is given to the general proceedings. This free conversational 

 style of inter-comraunication v/ith the members has many advantages. 

 There is not only a freedom from restraint, but experience has shown that 

 extemporaneous incidental facts are thereby frequently presented which, 

 in a more formal plan of procedure, would fail to be elicited. 



It is worthy of remark, that almost every discovery in agriculture or 

 horticulture, as well as every hint, suggestion or hypothesis of any impor- 

 tance, that appears in the agricultural journals of Europe, are first pre- 

 sented to the American public through the Farmers' Club ; Mr. Meigs, the 

 secretary, briefly, and usually without introduction or comment, presents 

 to the Club the fact or the proposition in the precise words of the author, 

 or of the journal from which he translates or quotes. 



As a matter of course, where the proceedings are conducted on the 

 desultory plan here indicated, more or less incoherency must characterize 

 the discussions. But any objections which may arise from this cause are 

 amply compensated for by the additional interest which is thus given to the 

 debate. 



In presenting the proceedings of the Farmers' Club to the Legislature 

 as a portion of the Annual Report of the American Institute, it has been 

 the practice heretofore to simply furnish a literal copy of the minutes or 

 reports of the several meetings. I see no good reason for a departure 

 from this practice. It has the advantage of imparting to the printed vol- 

 ume of Transactions much of the freshness which gives interest to the ver- 

 bal debates. Repetitions, and remarks involving neither principles nor 

 facts, I have felt myself free to expunge. 



