448 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



President Pell in the chair. Henry Meigs Secretary. 



The Secretary read the following extracts from a communica- 

 tion from one of our most active, successful and venerable farm- 

 ers, L. D. Clift, Esq., of Putnam county, New-York, whose splen- 

 did grazing farm was in competition for the highest premium of 

 our State Agricultural Society. He has redeemed one of the 

 rudest surfaces in the State by great labor and intelligence, and 

 has made a noble grass farm. He believes in the truly right 

 honorable business of the tarmer, as is now rapidly becoming pub- 

 lic sentiment among all civilized nations. He says : 



1st. Many of us own and attempt to cultivate too much laiids. 



2d. There is and has been, for si long time past, a growing dis- 

 position with us to evade the life of the farmer, m6re especially 

 by our ycuth^ of both sexes, and a reSort to almost every other 

 occupation, or means for a livelihood, rather than to cultivate the 

 earth to get their bread. 



3d. In close connection with the defect last mentioned, is an 

 extravagance of expenditure, of both time and money, not devoted 

 to the useful purposes of life. 



4th. When the respectability and independence of farming 

 labor comes to be despised or underrated, by the rural districts 

 of our country and nation, we are in the fast road to ruin both in 

 regard to character and prosperity as a people. 



5th. The men who are promoted to the offices of honor and 

 trust, should (wliether rich or poor) be w^ell fitted for their sta- 

 tions, and such only as we would entrust with our private inte- 

 rests, especially those who teach our schools. 



6th. Our youth have less veneration for the aged and sympa- 

 thy for the unfortunate and afflicted than when I was a youth 

 fifty years ago. 



7th. Life, character, and property are less protected also than 

 at that time. 



8 th. Some of our best laws remain a dead letter upon our sta- 

 tute books. The transgressor goes unpunished; and virtue 

 and good character have not their proper influence with 

 us. A wise man said some thousands of years since, that "when 

 the wicked bear rule, the land mourneth." 



9th. I will particularize but a few more defects, which I con- 

 sider to be most primary. One is, the great want of intelligent 

 labor existing among us, both among the employer and the em- 

 ployed. Volumes upon volumes are now being written and cir- 

 culated in th© community upon the subject of agriculture, but I 



