ANNUAL ADDRESS. 
289 
more votes than any; other. On reflection, I am not quite sure 
that there is not cause of suspicion against you, in se¬ 
lecting me, in some sort a politician, and in no sort a farmer, 
to address you. 
But farmers, being the most numerous class, it follows that 
their interest is the largest interest. It also follows that that 
interest is most worthy of all to be cherished and cultivated— 
that if there be inevitable conflict between that interest and any 
other, that other should yield. 
Again, I suppose it is not expected of me to impart to you 
much specific information on Agriculture. You have no rea¬ 
son to believe, and do not believe, that I possess it—if that 
were w T hat you seek in this address, any one of your own num- 4 
her, or class, would be more able to furnish it. 
You, perhaps, do expect me to give some general interest to 
the occasion; and to make some general suggestions, on practi¬ 
cal matters. I shall attempt nothing more. And in such sug¬ 
gestions by me, quite likely very little will be new to you, and 
a large part of the rest possibly already known to be errone¬ 
ous. 
My first suggestion is an inquiry as to the effect of greater 
thoroughness in all the departments of Agriculture than now 
prevails in the North-West—perhaps I might say in America. 
To speak entirely within bounds, it is known that fifty bushels 
of wheat, or one hundred bushels of Indian corn can be pro¬ 
duced from an acre. Less than a year ago I saw it stated that 
a man, by extraordinary care and labor, had produced of wheat 
what was equal to two hundred bushels from an acre. But 
take fifty of wheat, and one hundred of corn, to be the possi¬ 
bility, and compare it with the actual crops of the country.— 
Many years ago I saw it stated in a Patent Office Report that 
eighteen bushels was the average crop throughout the United 
States; and this year an intelligent farmer of Illinois, assured 
me that he did not believe the land harvested in that State this 
season, had yielded more than an average of eight budiels to 
the acre ; much was cut, and then abandoned as not worth 
37 
i 
