Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-02-01
agricultural.
STATE AGRICULTURAL So
CIETY.

VERMONT STATE AGRICULTURAL So
CIETY
At the Annual Meeting of the Vermont
state Agricultural Society, held at Rutland
on the 10th inst, the following gentlemen
we're elected officers for the ensuing year:
President-H IL. Baxter of Rutland.
Wee Presidents-Edwin Hammond of Mid
dlobury Henry Keyes of Newbury j. w.
Colburn of Springfield; John Jackson Of
Recording Secreiary-Charlos Cummings Of
Brattleboro
Corresponding lSecretayy--Danie Noedham
Of Hartford.
Treasurer. w. Coburn of Springfield.
additional Directors Frederick Holbrook
Of Brattleboro; L. b Plat of Colchester /;
David Hill of Bridport II S. Morse Of Shell
burne; d. r Potter of st. Albans @. b..
Bush Of Shoreham; Elijah Cleaveland of Gov
entry III. G Root of Bennington; Nathan
Gushing Of Woodstock John Gregory OF
Northfeldi George Campbell of Westmin-
ster
The Treasurer's Report was read and ac-
cepted. The report shows balance in the
hands of the Treasurer of three thousand six
hundred and thirty-fve dollars and eight
cents. (S3,O35 OS.
The Corresponding Secretary read the fol-
lowing report
During the year past. have been in the al
most constant reception Of letters from State
and County Agricultural Societies abroad, re-
questng list Of the Agricultural Societies
in this State, with the names of their respect
i've officers One of the objects sought in
this effort, was to secure a system Of exchange
and communication, which would add greatly
TO the usefulness Of all our Agricultural Asso-
citations.
have been successful, after much diligence
and labor, in ascertaining answers 10 the in
quries made, and it cannot be regarded 9TH
erwse than highly important that our State
Society should be put and kept in direct com
muuication with all our County and Town
Agricultural organizations. The most friend
ly feeling should exist between them all be-
ing engaged in the same great labor, and by
the cultivation of this feeling the general in-
terest would be greatly enhanced. The value
and utility OF county and town organizations
auxiliary to, or Independent Of, a State Socie-
ty, is unquestionable They are the primary
schools Of agriculture and the kindred arts F;
and in the absence Of agricultural schools and
colleges the only means, aside from the press,
of dffusing agricultural information among
the people.
These means, by an intimate acquaintance
established among the various societies, would
be greatly increased and to bring about such
an acquaintance must be one of the most de-
sirable objects left for US to secure.
The labor of the farm and the work shop
precede the Press and the Association, and
they, in their turn, will be stepping stones to
agricultural departments in our highest insti-
tuuons Of education.
Until journals of agriculture were estab-
lished, society was destitute Of means, by
which the results of Individual experience
could be given to the large body of farmers ;
and, It is far from certain. that even now,
when the Agricultural press is established up
on the ii NEST basis and possesses the conf
dence of the most intelligent of our people,
that men Of the ripest experience are principal
contributors to these papers
The truth is, and we do not wish to ignore
it, all we know we learn in some way. We
do not come by knowledge naturally-read-
ing and writing come by nature as much as
knowledge Of Chemistry aud the scienoes.--
Agriculture is no exception TO the general rule,
however much some men of strong minds aud
fortunate experience may berate book farm
ing
Whatever our fathers knew of Agriculture
they learned either from observation, study
or experience experience is sure teacher
but slow and frequently expcnsiye--and the
published record of the experience Of hum
dred men gives us the advantage Of adding
generations to our own briefife.
The simple fact that soils are exhaustible--
tina, thousands Of acres in New England have