The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-08-22


or THE
VIRGINIA
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
REPORT OF SUE. coMMITTEE oNPREMIUMs.
(ApSrorsd b. the Execatire Commifsee)
Tho Sub committee charged with preparing 2
schedule Of premiums for the Annual Meeting sna
Exhibition Of 1854, have performed the required
duty Together with tho schedule. (here annexedl
lhev ask leave TO submit the pr iucpes and reasons
OF ther action In the proposed changes fo"' " "a
ditions to, the premiums OF 1853
Exnerience has shown that there was either
much ambiguity of expression in many OF the pre-
ylous offers OF premiums, OF wrong consfruction
"a ~. ,nisnnderssandina by claimants, or by the
Judges of awards, or both. Sundry changes Of
language or OF required conditions, IN the present
schedule. are designed to prevent many of these
former errors, then caused by the novelty of the
nroeedure and the inexperience OF all parties
The general object kept IN view In preparing the
present list of premiums. was to endeavor, by the
saimulus of such honorable rewards. to induce ser
yices or elicit information which win most conduce
TO the benefit OF practical agriculture. Even WREN
duly observing the etrict limitation fixed by the
Constitution Of the Society. to offer premiums for
such subjects only 'ss are likely TO benefit agricul
ture horticulture, or the auxiliary mechanic arts,
still the proper and legitimate subjects for our pre-.
miums are innumerable-ando of measures of value
far exceeding any precuniary Inducements, or
houors that this Society Is able to cffer In
premiums. Under these circumstances, the sub
Committee have aimed to offer the highest
premiums for the objects or services deemed OF
most value for information and instruction, and the
most difficult to be prepared and iurnished-and
for which, therefore, there viii always be iewest
claims and awards in proportion to the number OF
preuiums offered The conducting Of accurate ex
perirnents sufficiently varied, and on large scale,
Is deemed the service requiring most intelligence,
care labor and cost to the operator, and of which
sI~Alv kN ho nnf hnx,n nsA TO-
cultural Improvement labors and interests. Hence,
premiums generally among the highest in amount
are proposed for these services and the results,
when of suitable and sufficient value; though these
premiums are still very low, if considered as re-
Enumeration for such services, even when they may
be successful in obtaining the premiums offered.
The next most important aid to agricultural in.
struction il the presenting practical information,
and useful facts, 10 essay: or olner written com
ents the service the least likely to be performed,
In proper manner Of all the classes OF subjects for
which our premiums are offered to induce the per-
formance or exhibition Therefore, for this SER
vice also moro and higher premiums are proposed,
In the hope gilmore successfully inviting many and
the most able competitors, and obtaining the most
valuable services OF this kind.
The exhibition, comparison, and correct decf
sjops of the superiority of agricultural machines,
tmplements &c make another and perhaps the
next most important means for aiding agricultural
Improvement. The new as well as the former and
still retained regulations, and offers OF premiums are
designed to give every proper facility and induce
mept to bring together all new and useful machines
and Implements and also to enable future buyers
to be most benefited by the exhibition and COMPARE
son of ALL and awards OF superiority for the best
For the first of these objects, competitors are nv
ted from all sources and localities; and different
from the policy of some other Societies) the same
implement or machine, SO long as it is deemed the
best will continue to receive either premium or
other honor as being still the best exhibited For
the second object The benefit of the buyer the
name or description and price of every machine
exhibited are required to be affixed and published.
Without these acquisitions, premium awarded
for certain article, at certain price, may
rior, or worthless articles; or ii the same, or as
good, at much higher prices.
In regard to greatest products of land, important
and valuable subjects as these are for honorable
distinction or reward it has been deemed necessa-
nv to exclude all products of such small spaces as
can afford no indication of superior merit or profit
of the cultivator.
The far greatest number of premiums proposed
is tor live stock OF various and OF all useful and
generally profitable kinds. In this the largest por
ton of the schedule, now as before the sub com
mittee have proposed but little alteration of the
subjects for, or amounts of premiums. One class
only of those before designated, is omitted, viz
Imported" animals But all such, if indeed supe-
rior for their useful qualities will be admitted to
fair and equal competition for other premiums
with other animals of like qualities. 1t is presum
III
ties. to other animals of like kinds and qualities
but of different origin it ought not either in Justice
or policy, to receive a premium because Sim
ported" instead Of being quite as good and rear
cd at home.
These general statements and reasons are enough
for their object Their application may be seen in
many minor alterations of the former schedule,
which would be tedious and useless to refer to sep.
aratey in this preliminary report.
Az there are numerous products of the mecbani-
cal or fine arts which, though not legitimate or ad
missible subje for our premiums, would be in
teresting subjects for public exhibition, and use.
full invite the attendance OF visitors it is further
proposed that the proprietors of all such articles be
invited to bring them to the Society's exhibition
and that suitable space on the grounds be assigned
to them, and all the care and attention required
and that can be given
As necessary to sustain the principles sought TO
be respected in the schedule of premiums submit
ted, the subcommittee beg leave to recommend the
adoption of the following negative regulation by
the Executive Committee: that no new premium
Except euch as may be offered by individual do
nors, and on agricultur al implements and machines
to be imported from Europe) shall be offered after
the first publication of the approved and adopted
schedule If the opposite rule Is pursued, and still
more II new premiums are offered even to the last
no general or fair competition for these late pre-
miums. Under such action, it usually occurs that
any single article presented, of good quality, or
plausible pretension, for which no premium had
Dctu OHeftU unlu very late, not at all, ana
which therefore had no competitor, will be far
more likely to obtain premium, than if the pre-
MUM had been duly offered at first In fact pre-
miums offered at very late date viii generally be
framed to suit certain and only subject then In
view, instead of subject being elected to suit and
to compete for the offered premium.
In regard to many subjects which may be offered
for premiums, but especially as to experiments
the whole year Is too short time for proper com.
petition The preparation for and seeding of wheat
will always have passed long before the offer of
premiums for the current year can appear The
earliest publication that can now be made NAV be
too late Tor other experiments requiring winter
preparation, or early spring progress Hence the
expectancy and urgent necessity for the earliest
possible adoption and publication of the premium
list. In addition, the subcommittee ask leave Tn
recommend that all approved subjects or exneri
ments 1of which premiums will be offered. shall
DC continued for at least two years. or longer nm
less deemed sufficiently investigated or Otherwise
not requiring further trial or encouragement
EDMUND RUFFIN \
CH. B. WILLIAMS S,b. r,om,;,t..
VIM G. CaENMAw,
GENERAL RULES IN REGARD To Pr nsyf-ws
I. Asrequired by the Constitution ~ The v;ra;n;.
swaraed shall be 10 all cases such as are likely 10
oenent agriculture, horticulture or the aaxiliary
Inc decisions of the Judges of awards, a to
inc merits OF subjects win be respected a. final in