30 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Mr. Viele, from the committee appointed at the last 
annual state convention, under the resolution “ to inquire 
whether in the distribution of public monies in aid of agri¬ 
culture, a better mode can be devised than that of giving 
it to county agricultural societies to be awarded in premi¬ 
ums, ” reported to the convention. 
That by reason of their being located in different parts 
of the state, the members of the committee had not the 
opportunity for meeting and consultation, but they never¬ 
theless brought their individual minds to bear upon this 
important subject, and are highly gratified in being able 
to find on coming together at this time, that the result of 
their reflections had brought them all to the same conclu¬ 
sion. They would however express their regret that the 
occupation of the short time allotted them, by their duties 
in the State Society and Convention, have precluded 
them from doing the subject that justice its importance 
demands. 
The policy of appropriating public moneys to stimulate 
to exertion the laboring and producing classes, and also to 
elicit the inventive genius of our country, has of late re¬ 
ceived much of the attention of the most enlightened and 
patriotic minds in this community; and as far as the com¬ 
mittee have been able to ascertain, such attentions and re¬ 
flections have almost invariably brought them to the con¬ 
clusion, that the adoption of such a policy, would in its 
practical results be productive of the greatest benefits to 
the community. 
That it would elevate and ennoble the character of our 
agricultural community—that it would rescue from igno¬ 
rance, (we had almost said ignominy) this most useful 
class of our citizens—that would equalize in point of hon¬ 
or and respect the different occupations and professions— 
that it would improve not only the soil but the mind—that 
it would vastly increase the products of the earth, and by 
calling forth the inventive talent of the country, lessen the 
expense of production and manufacture—that it would 
enhance the value of our real estate by doubling its pro¬ 
ductions—that it would be productive in a degree, of a 
spiiit of contentment, which would arrest the tide of emi¬ 
gration, that is abstracting our population, our labor and our 
wealth—that instead of impoverishing, it would enrich the 
public treasure, by increasing the taxable property of our 
state, and increasing those productions which require 
transportation, and consequently the revenue derived from 
our public works—in,a word, that it would redound to the 
honor and promote the prosperity of all and every interest 
in this great state, the committee cannot entertain a doubt. 
In coming to this conclusion, they do not rely upon 
what has perhaps too justly been termed “ vain theory 
and idle speculation,” but they have consulted the experi¬ 
ence and practical results of those countries and states, 
who (with “ shame and confusion of face” we acknow¬ 
ledge) have gone ahead and taken the lead of our boasted 
“ empire” in this march of improvement. 
Improvement in this branch of domestic industry is a 
distinguishing feature between civilization and barbarism, 
liberty and despotism—wealth and poverty—moral and in¬ 
tellectual advancement and mental degradation. Thus we 
see the more liberal and enlightened nations of the eastern 
continent encouraging and patronising this great interest, 
which lies at the foundation of all true national greatness, 
and under proper attention is the prolific source of a na¬ 
tion’s prosperity and wealth. Most of the governments of 
Europe have set apart a portion of the public bounty, and 
adopted some system, to increase the productiveness and 
enhance the value of well applied labor. 
In France great encouragement is given to the cultiva¬ 
tion of the vine and the sugar beet—two objects to them, 
-of great national importance. Germany has proved the 
wisdom of her councils, by the establishment and patronage 
of schools, devoted to scientific and practical agriculture. 
Prussia, too, has shown that she is not asleep to her inter¬ 
est, by the introduction at the.public expense, of the sci¬ 
ence and practice of this invaluable art into all her public 
schools. On the other hand, the despotism of Russia, ne¬ 
glecting alike the improvement of her agriculture and her 
semi-barbarous population, labors studiously to keep her 
boors and serfs in a state of vassalage and mental degra¬ 
dation; and chooses rather to expend the treasure which 
legitimately belongs to the people, in a forty years war 
with the Georgians and Circassians, with a view ultimately 
to wrest lion/ Great Britain her most profitable trade with 
the East Indies. Great Britain, always alive to what pro¬ 
motes her interests, has adopted an enlightened policy on 
this subject, and Scotland, by means of her societies and 
premiums, has .brought that romantic country, 
“ Where wild woods grow and rivers ro‘ 
Wi' mono a hill between,” 
into a state ofimp.rovement and cultivation that challenges 
the admiration of the w'orld. 
While these efforts have been making abroad, and while 
this improvement has been going on, our own country, fa¬ 
vored of Providence above all others, in the richness of 
her soil and the enternrize of her citizens, has been retro¬ 
grading, or at all events, remaining stationary, in the con¬ 
dition of her agriculture. 
The consequence lias been, that with all our boasted 
independence, and with all our natural advantages of soil, 
climate, and the industry of our citizens, we have been 
dependent upon these foreign despotisms for the means of 
subsistence. To say nothing of luxuries—in a time of 
almost universal peace and prosperity, even the “ staff of 
file” has been suffered to fall from under us, and we obli¬ 
ged to trust to one, “ that while we lean upon it, it pierces 
us.” We allude to the most astonishing and humiliating 
fact, that our country, the most fertile and productive of 
“ Gods heritage to man,” has been under the necessity— 
and is even at this time importing her bread-stuffs, forage 
&c. to support a population essentially agricultural, in a 
country the best adapted by nature to the growing of grain 
of any in the world. 
The committee however congratulate themselves and 
the community, that public attention is being more direct¬ 
ed to this subject. The people generally are arousing 
from their stupor, and public opinion, that mighty engine 
of all moral and civil reform, the resistance of whose breath 
is as fatal as the deadly Simoon of Africa, is beginning to 
move, and we have good reason to believe it will advance 
until its influence shall reach our legislative halls, and in¬ 
duce those entrusted with the public weal, to see to it— 
to protect, encourage, and advance it—instead of spend¬ 
ing the people’s time and money in useless political ma- 
nouvreing; in making political harangues for out-door 
effect. 
Among the evidences we have that “ the people are a 
coming” on this subject is, that in many of the states of 
the union, legislative action has been already had, and an 
enlightened policy adopted, which has already been pro¬ 
duction of muck good. 
Among the first to advance in this matter was the state 
of Massachusetts. She encouraged some years since the 
establishment of County Societies, and sustained them by 
liberal appropriations. The law under which they organ¬ 
ized expired not long since, and she has proved her devo¬ 
tion to this cause by a renewal of the same. This is con¬ 
clusive evidence to her, that the policy is sound and salu¬ 
tary, and in perfect accordance with the views and wish- 
63 of her enterprising and thrifty population. The State of 
Maine has also given an example of great wisdom and libe¬ 
rality in recent efforts to improve her agriculture. The 
bounty which she this year pays to her citizens, to encour¬ 
age the culture of wheat alone, will draw from the treasury 
more than all the expenditures which the “ Empire 
State” has ever made directly in aid of agriculture. 
Several of the other states have taken measures for the 
establishment of agricultural schools, and others have of¬ 
fered liberal bounties to encourage various useful and lu¬ 
crative branches of home industry, as the cultivation of the 
sugar beet, the mulberry, and the production of silk. 
The indications of public sentiment in our own state, 
we are happy in stating, are as far as we have been- able 
to ascertain, in favor ot a judicious and liberal appropria¬ 
tion by the state, to promote and advance the condition of 
her languishing agriculture. 
As to the question raised by the resolution under which 
the committee act, we would remark; that although the 
establishment of schools, especially devoted to the educa¬ 
tion of young men in scientific and practical agriculture, 
is a matter of very great importance, demanding upon ev¬ 
ery principle of justice and expediency, the attention and 
patronage of the state, still they believe that more imme¬ 
diate and more general benefit would be derived from the 
establishment of a state board of agriculture, with branch 
societies in the several counties of this state; each having 
the power and authority, under proper regulations and re¬ 
strictions, of awarding premiums for the production of the 
greatest results with the least expense in tillage; and also 
for the invention of useful and labor-saving implements for 
production, or machinery for manufacturing. 
By this mode of distribution an immediate advantage 
would be reaped by the present generation of farmers, 
which perhaps no other means would reach. There is a 
class, we regret to say, in this community, so “ wise in their 
own conceit” as to be above all improvement,in this most 
complicated and imperfectly understood art. So riveted 
are they to their old practices, that every improvement is 
denounced as an innovation. Even the most palpable er¬ 
rors in practical husbandry, having the sanction of ages, 
and having been handed down from sire to son for “ time 
the memory of man runneth not to the contrary,” they are 
loth to acknowledge, and slow to coriect. This class com¬ 
posing the most illiterate of the community, and having 
passed the meridian of life without cultivating their minds, 
would derive little or no advantage from the slow but sure 
process of diffusing knowledge by means of schools. But 
by means of societies, distributing premiums, the whole 
community would be excited and vie with each other to 
excel in all that relates to their occupation. The effect 
woud be to improve this class, not by reason of themselves, 
but in spite of themselves. Every step in improvement 
would add not only to individual but f o national wealth. 
The law of 1819, “ to improve the agriculture of the 
state,” although limited in its operation and duration, was 
productive of a vast amount of good to the people ol this 
state. Although imperfectly, and in many cases, badly 
administered, as all new undertakings are liable to be, it 
gave an impulse to useful enterprize and improvement, 
which is felt and acknowledged up to this day. It im¬ 
proved our farm stock—farm implements—farm crops and 
modes of culture. That law involved a public expendi¬ 
ture of about thirty thousand dollars, and the committee 
are induced to believe that no like sum has ever been 
expended from the public treasury with greater public ad¬ 
vantage. The advantages derived from it are now palpa¬ 
ble, and acknowledged by all intelligent men who have re¬ 
flected on the subject. It is the opinion of men whose 
judgment is entitled to the greatest respect, that the ex¬ 
penditure has been more than thrice returned to the trea¬ 
sury, in the form of canal tolls upon extra products ot the 
soil, which it virtually created. 
While, therefore, we are unwilling to say that any def¬ 
ter mode can be devised, in the distribution of public mo¬ 
nies than that of awarding it in premiums, still we confi¬ 
dently hope that something also will be done for the rising 
agricultural generation, by the endowment of schools, 
where the sons of farmers can be educated in a manner 
suitable to their occupation, and taught those branches of 
science which are applicable to those arts and that busi¬ 
ness, which they are destined to pursue through life. It 
is only through schools that we can ever hope to elevate 
the intellectual character of our yeomanry. It is to the 
youth of the country that we must look, for a simulta¬ 
neous improvement of the soil and the mind. They 
will soon be our Legislators, our Judges and our Jurors. 
They are to be the future guardians of our liberties, 
and all those invaluable privileges which we enjoy.— 
Is it not important then that they should be properly qua¬ 
lified by education, for the discharge of these sacred trusts ? 
Five-sixths of the population of the country are engaged 
in agriculture, and in a measure deprived of the means of 
a suitable education. In view of these facts the commit¬ 
tee believe that it would be the dictate of wisdom, to 
make suitable provision for the education and diffusion of 
knowledge among this class of our citizens. On the score 
of justice, they have a right to demand it. As a matter 
of expediency, it does not seem to admit of a question. 
In conclusion the committee would respond to the lan¬ 
guage of the resolution which created them, that in their 
opinion, there is no way that public money can be appro¬ 
priated more beneficial to the cause of agriculture than 
by awarding it in premiums, and they confidently hope 
that the legislature will adopt a policy worthy of our great 
state, and discard that “ penny wise and pound foolish” 
system which has hitherto rejected all applications on this 
subject. 
They, therefore, recommended to the convention the 
adoption of the following resolution,— 
Resolved, That in the opinion of this convention, an 
appropriation ought to be made from the public treasury— 
1. For the purpose of establishing a State Board of Ag¬ 
riculture; 
2. For the improvement of agriculture through agricul¬ 
tural societies to be established in the several counties; 
3. For the endowment of a state agricultural school or 
schools. 
The report was accepted, and the resolution being un¬ 
der consideration, it was, on motion of Mr. Crary, of Wash¬ 
ington, divided; and the first numbers thereof, recom¬ 
mending an appropriation of public monies for establish¬ 
ing a central board of agriculture, and county societies, was 
passed unanimously. On the last number of the resolu¬ 
tion, recommending the appropriation of monies towards 
the establishment of schools of agriculture, considerable 
debate ensued, in which Mr. Crary opposed, and Messrs. 
Mann, Allen, Buel, Baldwin, and Gen. Root, of Delaware, 
supported the proposition; and the entire resolution was 
finally adopted by an almost unanimous vote. 
On motion of Mr. Beekman, the president was desired 
to read a letter addressed to him by Willis Gaylord, which 
having been read, a copy thereof was requested for publi¬ 
cation, and is as follows: 
Otisco, Onondaga County, Jany. 29, 1838. 
J. R. Lawrence, Esq.— 
Dear Sir,—I last evening received the Evening 
Journal of the 24th, and have only one apology to make in 
answer to the query it contained. Though I knew, at the 
time of receiving your last kind letter requesting the draft 
of a bill and report, that there were multitudes who could 
perform the service as well, and perhaps better than I 
could, yet as it was a subject in which I believed the pub¬ 
lic was deeply interested, I determined to do what I could, 
and had commenced throwing my ideas on the matter to¬ 
gether with the intention of reducing them to form there¬ 
after, when I was taken with a weakness and partial in- 
fiamation of the eyes, which has effectually prevented any 
further progress. Even this is written with difficulty, and 
must be finished at intervals, and probably contrary to 
what might be deemed prudence where the eyes are con¬ 
cerned. 
Soon after I received yours, I addressed a letter to Col. 
Yoorhees, and received an answer, going into the details 
of his plan somewhat at length, which, with some remarks 
on the system proposed, I presume, will appear in the 
Genesee Farmer, of this week. I can see no reason why 
the plan of experimental farms may not be connected with 
County Societies, or why such farms should have any in¬ 
fluence in preventing aid from the treasury of the state, to 
such societies, and the Col. I think is of the same mind. I 
have been looking over the law of 1819, and think it might 
be safely adopted as the base of a new one with one or 
two exceptions. My ideas on the subject are about 
these— 
I would have a sum of money appropriated for this pur¬ 
pose from the treasury; say for form sake, 100 dollars for 
each member of assembly; or 400 to this county. This 
money should be at the service of the county society on 
condition that the society raised by voluntary subscription 
one half that sum, (the old law allowed only as much as 
was raised by the subscription) or in the same proportion 
for any smaller sum subscribed; so that if $1200 was raised 
by subscription, the sum to distribute would be $600; and 
so in proportion. I would not have the choice of officers 
confined to practical farmers; and this I think was one of 
the most fatal features of the old law; for experience proves 
that they are not the most fit persons to manage concerns 
of that kind. In superintending the ploughing; in estima¬ 
ting the qualities of stock, or the productions ofthe soil, the 
practical farmer is at home; but in conducting the affairs of 
such societies they usually fail. The choice of officers of the 
society should therefore be unfettered. I would have no 
money taken from the treasury unless societies were 
formed and in actual operation, and the certificate of the 
treasurer of the society should state that the money sub¬ 
scribed was actually in his possession before he could draw 
from the treasury. The state therefore would have every 
security that the money granted would be carefully appro¬ 
priated, and whatever the sum granted might be, if no so¬ 
cieties were formed under the law, no money of course 
could be taken from the treasury. 
