Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1861-01-17
VERMONT STATE AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.

At the Annual Meeting OF the Nerin"n,
State Agricultural Society, held at Rutland
on the 10th inst, the following gentlemen
were elected officers for the ensuing year
President.-H. Ii. Baxter Of Rutland.
V;ce Presidents - Edwin Hammond OF
M;ddIebury: Henry Reyes, of Newbury j.
w. Colburn, of Springfield John jackson,
of Brandon.
Recording Secrefdry.-Charles Cummings,
Corresponding Secretary - Daniel Need
ham OF Hartford.
Jreas,ver-J. w. Colburn, of Springfield. |
Additi1naL Direct0rs-F reder.ck Holbrook |
of BraLtlebOro; l.. b. Plat, OF Colchester
David Hill, OF Bridport Ii. ). Morse, OF
Sbelburne; ID. X. Potter, OF st. Albans u. |
I b. Bush, of Shoreham; Elijah Cleaveland,
of Coventry; IL. 6. Root, OF Bennington
Nathan Cushing, Of Woodstock John Greg
ory, OF NoLhfeid; George Campbell, OF
/ Westminster.
The Treasurers Report was read and ac
cepted The report shows balance IN the
hands Of the Treasurer of three thousand six
hundred and thirty-hVe dollars and eight
cents. (S3,635 08)
The Corresponding Secretary read the
following report
During the year past, have been in the
and County Agricultural Societies abroad,
requesting list Of the Agricultural Societies
in this State, with the names of their respec-
tive officers. One of the objects sought IN
this effort, was 10 secure a system OF exchange
and communication, which would add great
Iy 10 the usefulness OF all our Agricultural
Associations.
have been successful, after much dill
gence and labor, in ascertaining answers to
the inqu ries made, and it cannot be regard
ed otherwise than highly important that our
State Society should be put and kept IN d.
rect communication with all our County and
Town Agricultural organizations. The most
friendly feeling should exist between them;
all being engaged in the same great labor,
and by the cultivation OF this feeling the gen
eral interest would be greatly enhanced. The
value and utility Of county and town organl-
cations auxiliary to,or independent OF, State
Society, IS UNREASONABLE. They the
primary schools OF agriculture and the kim
bred arts; and in the absence of agricultu-
raj schools and colleges the only means, aside
from the press, o. dIhusing agricultural inior-
nation among the people,
| These means, by an intimate acquaintance
established among the various societies, would
be greatly increased; and ID bring about such
an acquaintance must be one OF the most de-
| sITaDe Objects lett Tor Us To secure,
t Tue labor OF the farm and the work shop
t precede the Press and the Association, and
I thew, in their turn, will be stepping stones to
O agricultural departments in our highest insti-
t9tions OF education.
Until journals Of agriculture were estab-
lished, society was destitute OF means, by
which the results Of individual experience
i could be given to the large body Of farmers
: and, it is far from certain, that even now,
when the Agricultural press Is established
upon the hrmest basis and possesses the con-
fidence of the most intelligent of our people,
that men OF the npest experience are prin-
5 cipal contributors to these papers.
The truth Is, and we do not wish 70 ignore
q ii, all We know we learn III some way. We
do not come by knowledge naturally-read,
ing and writing come by nature as much a:
knowledge OF Chemistry and the sciences
| Agriculture is no exception to the general
= rule, however much some men Of strong
a minds and fortunate experience may berate
book farming.
Whatever our fathers knew Of Agriculture
t they learned-either from observation, study
= or experience -experience Is a sure teacher
It but slow and frequently pensiye--and
d the published record Of the experience of d
e hundred men gives Us the advantage of ad.
= ding generations TO our own brief life.
. The simple fact that soils are exhaustble
that thousands Of acres IN New England
y have already been exhausted - establishe:
the necessity Of agricultural education. The
depth OF soil Is by no means a security against
C its ultimate Impeachment.
+ Ii IS a cheering sign OF progress that in
Vermont, to-day, there are healthy and
! hourishlug agricultural Societies existing
e either a. Town or County Association, in eV,
y cry part OF the State.
% At the last session Of the Legislature bill
~ was intro iuctd tor the purpose OF encourag
my the agriculture Ct the State, by the APP.
= polutmeut OF a Board Of Agriculture as
i State Head TO our Agricultural Societies
THIS project waJ thoroughly discussed, ano
the matter received very general and iavora
- ole notice by the press OF the State. Whe
|. Their or not tins be a necessary step in tbs
progress OF our general knowledge upon this
great subject, which directly and immediate
e ly interests all the people OF the Stale, it can
a not be doubted that III the course OF bue
u lime, If our present prosperity be preserved
" new sources OF information upon this impor
l. Gant subject must be opened 10 the peop.e.
n Our Town, County and Stale Societies art
- doing great deal, but an agricultural de
pattnent, connected with our colleges, would
e unquestIonably, materially aid in this impor
y tant work.
In England, Ireland, France, Belgium
Prussia and many OF the small States OF Eu
y rope, Agricultural Schools aud Colleges have
Is already been established. Had not science
of IN Englan and on the continent of Europe
,e come TO the aid OF agriculture, the lands o
- those ancient territories would long since
n have become exhausted, and the millions o
e LAT orers who feed directly from the earth
l. would have been driven by starvation to en-
" igration or the grave.
am satisfied that if, under the supervision
of this Society, the public addresses delivered
1t before County ana Town Societies and be.
fore our own Society, could be published in
collected form, either IN full or judlciously
abridged, We could furnish annually, at a
small expense, volume Of great value TO the
State. And | think, from what | can learn
that County and Town Societies would sub
scribe Literally for such volume, TO be used
at the annual fairs as premiums-and we
ourselves could use them to good advantage
in Il e same way.
The Societies in other States would ex.
change volumes OF similar character for
ours, by which means We would be able 10
offer the collections OF other State Societies
tor premiums in connection with our own
and we should, also, be able to place large
number OF agricultural books in our State
and College libraries and in the library OF
a the Historical Society, and in this way gath
n er for the use OF this and all future genera
tions body Of agricultural literature and
, statistics which wonII n" of immense ,aIu.
- and which, if it is not preserved by
e some such means, must be lost.
i have no hesitation in saying, that vol
ume OF this character which could be fur
nlShed, printed and bound in handsome style,
to our society, for fifty cents or less a volume.
| III oil
+ than diploma or even a cash pemium.
J. II wonId. also he cnnstantl,, nL....: Il .