annual report— Convention. 
79 
false theories will be advocated, no doubt, but agitation and intel¬ 
ligent discussion can scarcely fail to end in good. These local 
clubs, organized for the mutual improvement of their members, 
are so many normal schools, whose work it is in part to help pre¬ 
pare teachers in the science and art of agriculture. At these 
neighborhood meetings of practical farmers, the results of indi¬ 
vidual experiments are brought together and compared, new dis¬ 
coveries are communicated, errors are combatted, and a higher and 
better knowledge of the theory and practice of farming is secured. 
The means employed by the town or district grange or club to 
secure the culture and improvement of its members must chiefly 
be the library and stated meetings for the discussion of such ques¬ 
tions as most nearly concern the little community of farmers who 
are represented. In some localities, the town market fair has been 
introduced with advantage. 
But as the chief end is information and encouragement, the 
first mentioned means are by far the most important. It is in the 
i 
club meetings that one or two intelligent and earnest men, having 
themselves learned a more excellent way are enabled to reform the 
methods and substantially change the practice of a whole neigh¬ 
borhood. The association is composed of those who know each 
other as neighbors. Its members are thus easily led into such in¬ 
quiries and expression of opinions as observation and experience 
has suggested, and an ambition is stimulated to make common to 
all the successes of the most fortunate of their members. The 
very quickening of the mind which naturally grows out of these 
discussions is one of the most valuable fruits of the local organi¬ 
zation. Because of his isolation and of the quiet nature of liis 
employment, the mind of the farmer tends to grow, or rather to 
remain dull and inactive. He needs to be repeatedly shaken up 
to prevent him from becoming hopelessly routine and old fash¬ 
ioned in his methods. But stir him up, set his intellectual pow¬ 
ers into active operation at frequent intervals, and he at once be¬ 
comes a thinking, progressive man, not only ready to learn from 
others, but competent to devise and investigate for himself. These 
are a few of the benefits of town and neighborhood organizations, 
but there are many others that might be enumerated. The office 
of the county society, though different, is scarcely less imporfant. 
