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26 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



residue of the main building is for the State 

 collection of Natural History, Minerals, etc.; 

 and that portion on the west of the main 

 hall is open from the first floor to the roof 

 and has three galleries. The whole is light- 

 ed with gas and supplier! with water. The 

 State furnishes the building and officers 

 with fuel, gns, etc., and pays the salary of 

 Curator of the Natural History depart- 

 ment. The State Agricultural Society 

 pays the salary of its able and efficient Sec- 

 retary, Col. B. P. Johnson, who devotes his 

 whole time to the duties of his office, an 

 office that he has filled for many years with 

 credit to himself and profit to the society. 



While in Albany a few weeks since, we 

 spent a part of several days in examining 

 the specimens of Natural History of the 

 State, the Geological collection, and the 

 Agricultural Museum. In the latter de- 

 partment we were delighted in examining 

 the rude plows that had been used in early 

 times by the Chinese, French, Mexicans and 

 by the farmers of other nations, and other 

 specimens manufactured in this country in 

 1780, 1800, 1806 and 1814, and comparing 

 them with the many improved and beauti- 

 fully finished plows in the collection of the 

 present day. 



Col. Johnson has added to the museum 

 many other novel specimens of domestic im- 

 plements and machines of other nations and 

 of early times, that will be compared with 

 the improvements in fiiture ages with admir- 

 ation and delight. 



The galleries above the lecture room are 

 furnished with cases extending nearly to 

 the ceiling, with glass fronts, one of which 

 is appropriated to each county in the State, 

 and are to contain specimens of the soil and 

 of the various farm products of the county. 

 Some of these cases are already filled with 

 specimens, showing the geological character 

 of the several counties, and of the soils, to- 

 gether with the grains, grasses, etc. 



Another great step in aid of the agricul- 

 tural progress of the State has recently been 

 taken. A farm has been purchased in 

 Ovid, Stiueca county, containing 670 acres 

 of land, upon which is to be established an 

 Agricultural College. The Legislature of 

 the State having already made an appro- 

 priation of $40,000 for the purpose, and up- 

 wards of $40,000 more have been subscrib- 

 ed for the endowment of the "Delafield 

 Professorship of Agricultural Chemistry." 

 The officers of the college have already been 

 appointed, so that the institution may be 

 expected to go into full operation at an 

 early day." 



Who believes that the movements of the 

 States thus named, and the legislative aids 

 therein furnished to agriculture, have not 

 and are not paying a thousand fold more than 

 they have cost? Agriculture is not a pro- 

 fession or science that stands still." Great 

 minds, as well as vigorous hands, are giving 

 aid to it. We do not speak in a spirit of 

 boasting when vre say that Illinois, in a 

 very short period, is to be the leading agri- 

 cultural State of the Union. What is done 

 now by her citizens and by the Legislature 

 will advance rapidly, or retard injuriously, 

 this great consummation, 



' Gov. Matteson, in his valedictory mes- 

 sage, refers to the subject of Agriculture, 

 and the means to advance it, in a manner 

 that shows as well his sound judgment, as 

 his patriotic disposition to add the influence 

 of his position to the prosperity of the lead- 

 ing interest of our State. He says: 



"In my former communication I invited 

 the attention of the Legislature to the ag- 

 ricultural interests of the Scate. I beg 

 leave to refer you to my previous sugges- 

 tions upon this subject, and to urge, in the 

 strongest light, those interests to your care- 

 ful consideration. I apprehend no acts of 

 the Legislature have been more acceptable 

 to the people than the appropriations here- 

 tofore made for their encouragement. I 

 think I may safely add, that no appropria- 

 tions have ioeenmore faithfully or judiciously 

 applied to the objects intended. I have al- 

 ready referred to the fertility of the soil as 

 one of the elements of greatness for our 

 State. She has scarcely an acre of waste 

 land, and when all the contemplated improve- 

 ments are completed, every acre will be con- 

 venient to market. Her present large farms 

 are capable of extensive sub-division, and 

 the climate and soil are so capable of pro- 

 duction, that a few acres of ground will be 

 found adequate to the support of a family. 

 I apprehend the time has come in the history 

 of the State, when she may safely take a 

 position in relation to this interest which 

 shall be commensurate with its importance. 

 In view of our present condition, if ray 

 power was limited at the present time to a 

 single recommendation, I think I should 

 urge upon you to base the industrial interests 

 of the State upon the same liberal principles 

 which now characterize the educational sys- 

 tem. Education and labor, which were 

 once deemed almost incompatible, should go 



