New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-08-24


or about ten thousand dollars Beside this the ci-
izeps of Chester offered prizes for cheese, cattle,
horses and sheep to the amount of 81, 400 The So
ciey gave q silver medals for miscellaneous articles.
Now as there has been much carpipg in this country
as to the course of our own National Agricultural
Society and no lack of persons to suggest that has
done nothing to entite it to public support let Us look
q moment at its origin and acts.
In 1852, a Convention, called by several State Ag-
ricultural societies assembled at the Smithsonian
Institution for the purpose OF organizing national
society This end was accomplished and provisions
were at once made to hold National Fair. The Hon.
Marshall p. Wilder, elected to the Presidency, en-
tered into the affair with great zeal and his efforts
were successful The third fair held at Boston at
tracted crowd of - 600 persons in single day; and
the fourth at Philadelphia, much larger concourse,
estimated even as high as $4,000 on one day OF the
exhibition. The breeders of blooded cattle have
transported their most valuable animals hundreds OF
miles TO compete for the Seoetys prizes, and displays
of agricultural implements have been made so large
ss to acres Of ground. The disourse~ents for
premiums and expenses have amounted to $ll2,OOO
since the first organization of the Society, the whole
of which large has been received at tho gates OF
the show grounds. The Society held at Syracuse in
gre ster .cale than any which has preceded or sue
ceeded il, and which would have been much larger
had all the manufacturers who declared their inten-
ton to compete, had the courage to enter the
ls,s Mistakes were undoubtedly made in the man
sgement of that trial. but so much information OF real
practical value was elected, that il must necessarily
be regarded as great public benefit. The Society
charges but $40 for life, and q for annual member
ship and even at these beggary prices s SO poorly
supported as to be compelled to rely upon ts exhibit
tions for money pay its meager office expenses, and
has not accumulated sufficient funds to even Offer
money prizes for agricultural essays.
Before, therefore, any comparison is made between
its achievements and those Of its English cotem-
poraIy, we should consider the different crcum-
stances under which they commenced and have con-
tnued their operations.
The one has worked under the auspices of Royal
Charter the patronage of powerful mobiles Of the
realm the assistance of the most active and wealthy
manufacturers and farmers, and with capital and
income which have not only placed its existence
beyond contingencies, but enabled it to employ the
most scientific men in Europe to contribute to its
journal The other relying upon the caprice of the
public, and quite at the mercy of vicisstudes OF
weather ard the exgencies of trade for its life has
struggled from its very birth under load Of difficulty
which would have appalled, the supporters Of its
transatlantic rival. That it still lives, and is pre-
pairing to hold its monster exhibition at Chicago, is
cause for thankfaness. 1t may be that too much
csp-trap has been used to increase its presgei but
it is claimed that otherwise it could not have met its
pecunary liabilities We venture to say that, if the
public were ready to subscribe sufficient money to
make it indie pendent, should hear no more of its
caring more for display than the improvement of
agriculture. Americans are quite unwilling to &C.
knowledge that they can be e1celed by Englishmsn
in anything; but they can hardly expect that our
national agricultural ,ociety, without funded capital
to base its operations upon, should accomplish more
than one. tenth as much as that whose prosperous
condition we have thus cursorily considered.