102 
STATE AGRICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
primary wants of the agriculture of this country is adequate 
means for the education of farmers’ sons and others in the best 
known practice, and in the scientific principles involved 
therein. 
With a view to supply this deficiency, the intelligent agri* 
culturists of this State, together with their representatives in 
Senate and Assembly, have in years past repeatedly urged 
upon Congress the propriety of donating lands sufiicient in 
quantity for the endowment of at least one institution in each 
State, where the object shall be to teach such branches of learn¬ 
ing as are directly related to agriculture and the mechanic arts. 
Those petitions have at last been answered, and Wisconsin 
now has it within her power to secure 240,000 acres of land 
for the endowment of such an institution. The conditions to 
be complied with to secure the grant are just and reasonable, 
and as the more immediate representatives of the industrial in¬ 
terests of the State, we w^ould respectfully urge the importance 
of prompt action in acceptance of the grant, in the location of 
the lands now being rapidly taken up by individuals under 
the homestead act, and the provision of means for ensuring a 
full and satisfactory compliance, in all respects, with the con¬ 
ditions of the grant. We also beg to suggest, that in devising 
a plan for the organization of the institution, great care should " 
be taken to devolve the important trust of guardianship upon 
those most directly and deeply interested in the objects con¬ 
templated, and that it should be protected as far as possible 
against the baleful influence of political partizanship. 
AGEICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 
Owing to the distractions of war and the enlistment of large 
numbers of those who have always been active in agricultural 
enterprises of a public character, but few county fairs have 
been held during the past year. Some of these were quite 
successful; others have been partial failures. The organiza¬ 
tions have generally been kept np, however, and there is a 
commendable determination on the part of nearly all to con¬ 
tinue their efforts with unflagging zeal for the promotion of 
