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Annual Report of the 
my neighbors, only I cultivate better than they do. Judicious im¬ 
provement pays, I have spent money in going to conventions and 
fairs, and seeing men and hearing them talk and getting ideas from 
them and carrying them home for practical use. And I have paid 
a good deal of money for papers for that very same purpose, and I 
know that money has not been thrown away. I have faith in my 
land and in my neighbors land if it is properly cultivated and im¬ 
proved. I have not overdrawn the picture. I think our farmers 
work too hard; I think they could make more money by giving 
more time to thinking and studying, and doing better what they 
do and making greater and better crops. These things can be done 
and should be. 
Mr. Anderson. This is a subject that should interest all of the 
farmers in Wisconsin. I think in the improving of stock there is 
very much advantage to be gained. In regard to improving land, 
I will agree with my friend Smith, but I have raised good pork and 
sold it for three cents a pound live weight, but I could not afford to 
do that on good profitable land. We cannot afford to raise feed and 
fatten cattle here and compete with Texas. They can send good fat 
cattle from Texas up to Chicago for less than we can afford to sell 
them. And we cannot compete in raising wheat with the cheap 
lands of Minnesota and the northwest. So we must improve our 
lands and raise other crops. 
Mr. Isaac Clark offered the following resolution, which was unan¬ 
imously adopted: 
Resolved ,, That the members of this convention tender to the president and secre¬ 
tary of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, a vote of thanks for the very able, 
impartial and efficient manner in which they have conducted the deliberations of 
this convention, and also to other gentlemen, who by their papers and participations 
in the discussions have contributed so largely to the interest and profit of this 
gathering. 
Secretary Field. I am proud of this convention and believe it has 
done something for the good of ourselves and our state. Our so¬ 
ciety two years ago called this convention under its auspices. It 
proved a success; but gentlemen, I can say that this is the best con¬ 
vention in my judgment we have ever held in the state. It has 
brought together practical men, men who are of recognized ability, 
men who are thinkers not only about their own business, but about 
business connected with other individuals and other interests. I 
