REPORTS AND AWARDS. 
145 
an eighty-acre farm which, in its native state, was very unin¬ 
viting, into a most attractive and desirable home. Mr. Peffer 
is a practical man, possessing great energy of character, and 
adaptability to circumstances, and we predict for him a promi¬ 
nent position among the best agriculturalists of the State at no 
distant day. He is very interesting in his description of per¬ 
sonal incidents. He showed us the wheelbarrow which he 
made himself, years ago, and remarked, that that, pushed with 
his own hands, constituted his first farming team. He has had 
considerable reputation for some years, and most deservedly 
so, as a nurseryman and fruit grower. We must here relate 
an incident in connection with this subject, which goes very 
far to illustrate the benefits of agricultural societies ; and we 
cannot do better than to tell the story in his own language, as 
nearly as possible. He said that he was called, by many, a 
nurseryman and fruit grower, and he would tell us how he 
came to be one. In 1851, without any particular knowledge 
of the subject, he grafted a wild plum tree, and in 1852 it bore 
some beautiful fruit. He entered this fruit at the State Fair, 
and the first premium was awarded to him for it. This encour¬ 
aged him to go on—to study and experiment, and the result 
has been attended with good success. “But,” says Peter, with 
animation, “if it had not been for the State Agricultural Soci¬ 
ety, and for that premium on plums, I should have been noth¬ 
ing to-day but Peter Peffer, the carpenter.” This is one of 
the illustrations of the benefits arising from agricultural socie¬ 
ties ; and we rejoice to find that Peter considers his present 
calling a great elevation from that of a good carpenter, as he 
no doubt was. It is so : and proud may be any man, of what¬ 
ever position, who becomes a practical and successful tiller of 
the soil. 
MR, SMITH’S FARM. 
This farm is located in the town of Somers, in Kenosha coun¬ 
ty, nine miles from Racine. Mr. Smith is a Scotchman by 
birth, having landed in this country in 1834, coming to the ter- 
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