150 
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
let fevers and erysipelatous affections, which, as children are 
now fed, rage among our infantile population, as though their 
little bodies were all unsoundness and corruption. The healthy 
development of the human being is of far more importance 
than that of cattle, arts, sciences, banks, tariffs, or aught else 
of material character. * * It is virtually the science 
of sciences, the art of all arts, the proper study of all man¬ 
kind. With what emotions of pride and self congratulation 
the thrifty farmer surveys his span of well-matched horses, his 
sleek, round oxen, his handsome colts, sheep and calves, even 
his well bred litter of pigs, and his highly cultivated poultry. 
All must be without spot or blemish. His solicitude for their 
proper care and keeping knows no bounds. He studies by day 
and dreams by night how best to work out the problem of phy¬ 
sical perfection in all his domestic animals. But often, too of¬ 
ten are his wife and children neglected. While every law of life, 
every condition of health is rigidly enforced in relation to all 
his domestic animals, all too frequently is totally disregarded 
in relation to his own family. 
While he can display to the admiring spectator numerous 
head of domestic animals, sound, smooth, and beautiful, he may 
have half a dozen children, and not one of them exempt from 
the several diseases necessarily produced by the use of unwhole¬ 
some food and neglect of the observance of the laws of health. 
Why should not the higher animal be as well cared for, so far 
as its animal nature is concerned, as the lower? We believe 
the attention of the farmers should properly be directed to the 
subject and have thus introduced it at this time, as a fit theme 
for the mind and soul of the farmers to ponder over. 
The culture of fruit has been delayed too long. Do not be 
disheartened, although our late severe winters may have de¬ 
stroyed some varieties, we certainly (as our show on the ground 
demonstrates) can raise some worth eating even in an unfavor¬ 
able season. We say to all, go and cultivate the like. Don’t 
procure your trees from abroad; they seldom prosper. Patron¬ 
ize your own nurserymen whose trees are acclimated. Fruit 
