Objects and Work, 
419 
is an agricultural association; its object is not, primarily, to ad¬ 
vance religion, to discuss politics, to engage in works of charity; 
not any of these ^things; but, to quote from its constitution, “ Its 
object shall be the collection and dissemination of information in 
relation to agriculture in the several states and territories, and con¬ 
cerning the climatic, economical and other conditions affecting its 
progress and prosperity.” 
It mav also be said that in its relations to other associations for 
the promotion of agriculture, this congress is designed to be friend¬ 
ly and co-operative, rather than a rival or critic; and again, I hope 
it may truthfully be said, this is a modest and not an assuming 
or arrogant body. It is not claimed to be the only or the great¬ 
est instrumentality for accomplishing the end for which it labors; 
rather it is content to do what it can for the good of the agri¬ 
culture of the country, rejoicing in any and every like work, by 
whatever means it may be accomplished. 
With the limitations and qualifications, there still remains a mar¬ 
velously wide field. We have all American agriculture, and not 
any one specialty; in whatever relates to the cotton of the south, 
the grain of the west, the dairy, the cattle on the plains of Texas or 
the hills of New England; in whatever concerns the producer of 
any agricultural product in his work, he may properly ask the inter¬ 
est and aid of this association. It may properly discuss the ques¬ 
tions relating directly to production, tillage, varieties of seeds and 
animals, fertilization, etc.; it may and should go further than this, 
and consider those things which affect the distribution of agricul¬ 
tural products — the great question of transportation, with its im¬ 
portant and complicated effects on the agriculture of the different 
sections of the country, the home and foreign markets, tariffs; 
these and like topics appropriately may engage the thought and 
discussion of the members of the congress. And so the important 
and as yet but imperfectly appreciated subject of agricultural sta¬ 
tistics— how to secure their more prompt, accurate and thorough 
collection and dissemination — is directly within the letter and 
spirit of the object for which the association was formed. The 
vital question of agricultural education, and the equally important 
question of the education of the agriculturists; the relations of a 
best of sciences to agriculture, and the means of best applying 
their teachings; all these and other topics of stupendous import- 
