160 WISCONSIN STATE AG El CULTURAL SOCIETY. 
ASSOCIATED EFFORTS BY WISCONSIN FARMERS. 
BY SECRETARY FIELD. 
Mr. President , Ladies and Gentlemen: 
I rise for the purpose of presenting a few brief thoughts rela¬ 
tive to the importance of associated effort among the farmers of 
the state. I think I state a fact when I say that in no period of 
the world’s history has there been such interest taken in agricul¬ 
ture as at present. Even the political excitement of a presi¬ 
dential campaign, such as has seldom been witnessed in this re¬ 
public, does not palsy in the least the efforts which are pushing 
forward this great foundation and preservative interest of man¬ 
kind. Wisconsin, particularly, is alive to the importance of the 
work, as witness the fine stock, magnificent products of the soil 
and dairy, machinery with a finish almost equal to parlor furni¬ 
ture, manufactured articles of the finest make, mostly from our 
own factories, and works of art now on exhibition upon these 
grounds. One can behold this great interest from a more favora¬ 
ble stand-point by taking a drive through the country and seeing 
the well cultivated farms, the beautiful residences and well-filled 
barns, viewing the railways of the state opening up to the farmer 
additional market facilities, with more remunerative prices for his 
products, beholding the farmers’ clubs and county agricultural so¬ 
cieties organizing for social culture and for the diffusion of general 
information relative to their high calling, taking a look at our com¬ 
mon schools and higher seminaries of learning, particularly the 
State University, now just filled to its utmost capacity, where the 
sons and daughters of farmer^ are receiving an education fitting 
them to take high rank among any of the callings or professions of 
life. With these thoughts one’s mind becomes engrossed with the 
occupation of the tiller of the soil, and he is led to exclaim that 
they who, as cultivators of God’s green earth, are enabled to make 
for themselves a competency, increase the wealth of the country, 
raise their sons and daughters to habits of industry and economy, 
give them a common school education, so that the foundation may 
be laid whereby with energy and industry they may acquire the 
