52 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
nected with agriculture, and that the essays be read at the 
meeting of the Society in January next. 
On motion of Mr. O’Reilly, resolutions were adopt¬ 
ed—1. That a committee of seven be appointed to com¬ 
pile and make arrangements for the publication of vol¬ 
umes from the Prize Essays of the Society, of suitable size 
for Common School Libraries—2d. That a premium of 
$130 be offered for the best series of Essays ee on the im¬ 
portance of scientific knowledge in prosecuting success¬ 
fully the ordinary pursuits of Agriculture”—said series 
to be published also in one or two volumes suitable for 
the School District Library, the author being entitled to 
the copy-right. [The Committee subsequently appoint¬ 
ed by the newly elected President, (Dr. Beekman,) in 
reference to these publications, consists of the Hon. John 
Greig of Ontario, Gov. Seward of Cayuga, Lieut. Gov. 
Dickinson of Broome, John A. King of Queens, James 
S. Wadsworth of Livingston, Judge Savage of Washing¬ 
ton, and Henry O’Reilly of Albany.] 
The Committee on nomination of officers, &c. report¬ 
ed that they had agreed upon Poughkeepsie , as the place 
for holding the next Cattle Show of the Society. 
They reported a nomination of officers, which, after 
an amendment, was accepted as follows: 
John P. Beekman, Columbia, President. 
Vice Presidents. 
1st Dist.— James Lennox, New-York. 
2d Dist.— Thomas L. Davies, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess. 
3d Dist.— Joel B. Nott, Guilderland, Albany. 
4th Dist.—J ohn Savage, Salem, Washington. 
5th Dist_ Edmund Kirby, Brownsville, Jefferson. 
6th Dist. —George J. Pumpelly, Owego, Tioga. 
7th Dist. — H. S. Randall, Cortland Village, Cortland. 
8th Dist.— Rawson Harmon, Jr. Wheatland, Monroe. 
Benjamin P. Johnson, Rome, Cor. Secretary. 
Henry O’Reilly, Albany, Rec. Secretary. 
Thomas Hillhouse, Albany, Treasurer. 
Additional Members of the Executive Committee —George 
Wilkinson, Poughkeepsie; J. M’D. M’Intyre, Albany; 
George Vail, Troy; Alexander Walsh, Lansingburgh; 
Joel Rathbone, Albany. 
[The nominating Committee reported the name of 
James S. Wadsworth for re-election as President, and 
Luther Tucker for re-election as Recording Secretary— 
both of which nominations were unanimously approved 
by the Society. But both of the individuals named, 
were compelled, by other avocatious, to decline a con¬ 
tinuance in their respective offices. E. P. Prentice,who 
was on the nominating committee, declined a re-nomi¬ 
nation as Treasurer, which was warmly pressed upon 
him.] 
The Society assembled in the evening at the Capitol, 
where the newly elected officers took their respective 
stations. After some brief remarks from the President 
in reference to the duties which he had just been elected 
to discharge, 
The Annual Address was delivered by Mr. Knevels 
of Dutchess county. The address was replete with facts 
and arguments illustrative of the importance of Agricul¬ 
ture in all its branches, and in its varied connexions; and 
was listened to with marked attention during the hour 
and a half which its delivery occupied. 
In addition to members of the Society, the Assembly 
Chamber was filled with other citizens, embracing vari¬ 
ous distinguished friends of agriculture from different 
parts of the state. Among them were Ex-President Van 
Buren, Lt. Gov. Dickinson, several of the State officers, 
members of the Legislature, &c. 
Resolutions were passed, tendering the thanks of the 
Society to Mr. Wadsworth, President,—to Mr. Pren¬ 
tice, Treasurer, and to Messrs. Randall and Tucker, 
Secretaries of the Society, for the able and faithful man¬ 
ner in which they had discharged the duties devolving 
upon them while occupying those stations. 
On motion of Major Davezac of New-York, 
Resolved, That the thanks of the Society be tendered 
to Mr. J. W. Knevels for the able and instructive address 
delivered by him this evening, and that he be requested 
to furnish a copy for publication. 
On motion of Mr. S. Smith of Putnam, 
Resolved , That a committee of three persons be ap¬ 
pointed to petition the Legislature to extend the opera¬ 
tion of the existing law for the promotion of Agricul¬ 
ture, and for other purposes. 
Mr. John Dickson of Ontario county, gave notice that 
a motion would be made at the next annual meeting of 
this Society, to amend the Constitution thereof, so as to 
give to the Society, instead of the Executive Committee, 
the power of fixing the place where the Annual Fairs 
are to be held. 
On motion of Mr. Daniel Lee of Erie, 
Resolved, That this Society regards the establishment 
of an Agricultural Institute and Pattern Farm in this state, 
where shall be taught thoroughly and alike, the Science, 
the Practice, and the Profits of good husbandry, as an 
object of great importance to the productive agriculture 
of New-York. 
The Society then adjourned. 
AGRICULTURAL READERS. 
In the early part of our experience as publisher of an 
agricultural paper, we found that the readers of such 
journals could be divided into two classes, one of which 
read with profit, the other with very little if any. Of 
course we do not include in either of these classes, those 
farmers who already know every thing, despise all agri¬ 
cultural reading, and treat the idea of any improvement 
in husbandry with the most profound contempt. The 
number belonging to this class is much reduced, but spe¬ 
cimens are occasionally met with. 
Farmer A. belongs to the class of readers that receive 
and peruse agricultural papers with little profit. The 
reason is, he does not sufficiently exercise his own judg¬ 
ment in reference to the details of farming. He reads a 
statement that such a farmer was eminently successful in 
the cultivation of such a crop; the growing or fattening 
of such or such an animal; or the management in gene¬ 
ral of a farm on the principles of rotation; and he deter¬ 
mines at once to do the same. He does not stop to in¬ 
quire whether his soil is suited to the particular crop he 
wishes to grow, whether it is too wet or too dry, too 
light or too heavy, rich or poor, but pursuing the course 
pointed out by the successful farmer, he miserably fails 
in his crop, or his animals, and frequently throws on the 
publication, or its correspondent, the blame which fairly 
belongs to himself. 
Farmer B. on the contrary, is one of a class of readers 
that find a decided profit in the perusal of agricultural 
papers. He takes the same papers as A., but wholly es¬ 
capes the mistakes into which A. is constantly falling. 
The reason is to be found in the fact that he exercises his 
judgment in managing his farm; and is fully aware that 
a course of husbandry that would be successful on one 
kind of soil, or one particular location, would be ruinous 
on another. Because a great crop, or fine animals, have 
been produced under certain circumstances, he does not 
go on to infer that they will be so in all, and it is in this 
discrimination and adaptation, that the cause of his suc¬ 
cess is found. He reads, compares, reflects, and decides 
whether a course is suitable for him, his soil, or circum¬ 
stances, before he adopts it. His agricultural reading 
furnishes him the means of doing this correctly, and in 
that he finds a great advantage. 
Agricultural publications are not intended to supersede 
the use of the judgment in matters of practice, among 
those who receive them; their great office is to enable 
the farmer to judge correctly as to the proper course for 
him to pursue; to bring to his notice all improvements 
in husbandry and agricultural implements, that he may 
choose wisely for himself; to show what has been done 
by others, and the way it has been done, that if in the 
same circumstances, and it is desirable, he may do so too; 
and to excite to improvement by showing it is practica¬ 
ble and profitable. The farmer must do as do men in 
other cases, obtain all the light and information possible 
by reading, and then reflect, reason, decide, and practice 
for himself. 
The range of earthly good is narrow and soon trod¬ 
den ; after a short time there is no variety, and the en¬ 
joyment is without hope. 
