The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-10-08
AID DIR ESs +!


1863, By A. VAN WICK, Esq.
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND LADIES & GENTLEMEN
1t is with no little hesitation that rise to
address an audience of Farmers upon the in
terests of profession in which am myself
so much of novice.
Yet | am encouraged to proceed by the re-
Election that its principles and truths are wor-
thy of attention without regard to individual
skill or practice, and, that my duty on this
occasion is simply opresent those aspects and
relations of Agriculture the knowledge Of
which requires no special experience.
It is one of the most agreeable additions
lately made to our enjoyments in the Coun-
try, to have reunions of this character estab-
lished permanently among us, where we may
exchange congratulations upon the close of
the more arduous labor Of the year as in the
Harvest Home of old, and bring for friendly
competition, or comparison some Of the fruits
Of our years labors.
Especially in the present situation of our
country do we find delight in turning away
for the hour from all thought Or suggestion of
''grim, horrid war; to look upon these aston
ishing exhibition Of our country's continued
prosperity, and of the power and charm Of
the arts of peace.
Here the Mechanical Arts still present us
with some Of the products of that ever labor
ing, benefcent genius which by its numerous
inventions has so contributed to Tighten the
labors of our profession. gr.
The show of Fruits indicate culture and
growth that make us less regret every year
the old orchards on the Aillsides Of the East.
The stock has perhaps suffered some from
the draft the war has made on this Depart
ment, yet those exhibited display care and
skill which will soon restore its numbers and
assure its continued excellence.
Amid all their generous efforts in behalf of
our soldiers in those dire Southern chimes, the
Ladies have found time for their usual display
of needle work and those fine arts in which
they excel; and Horticulture brings as ever
its full Horn Flowers to deck our Hall with
floral beauties.
Institutions like this mark the progress of
society as well as of Agriculture.
Power and Wealth had long encouraged ex-
arts, but it has been reserved for our own age
to do just homage to the Arts of Production
those by which we live and without which
the decorative and ornamental could have no
existence. s.#--
The advance of Agriculture is indeed one of
the important features of the progress of our
age.
In period of general enlightenment it is
hot oh nj
the base of all others should engage the at
tentive study of intelligent minds and this
the prevailing taste for natural sciences among
the learned OF our day has greatly tended to
encourage.
Within a century the world has probably
learned more upon this subject than in all the
ages W hich have preceded it.
This advance has been distinguished chiefly
by improvement in the tools we employ and the
introduction of new machines by improved
system of cultivation and by the application
of science in investigating its principles.
| In our own Country and especially in the
West, nearly all the important processes OF
Agriculture are conducted by use of machines.
We SOW, we reap, we thresh, we clean with
machinery, and it but remains to adapt the
existing power to the plough, to complete the
list of our important labors thus essentially
frightened In many instances, in the use OF
one generation even, the sickle will have Civ
en- place to the Reaper, and many Of us car
vet remember the long weary days, in which
hour by hour we beat the Flail, in those huge
barns of our old homes, when as yet, the thresh-
er had not been revealed.
i Now, every harvest scene exhibits cars cours
ing through our immense grain fields, witt
effects far more imposing than attended the
triumphal scenes of the early ages, and witt
results much more beneficial, while the thresh
er performs in a day the old labor of win
ter.
Even the plough has had its TRANSITIONAL
: ton. Every line has been the subject Of care
full study or experiment, and compared witt
those, rude light implements with which the.
still scratch the surface along the Mediterra
mean, or the ponderous, cu1nbrous machines ye
in use in parts Of the Continent those nov
, issuing from our shops have the beauty, am
perfection Of cutlery
Our situation has rendered the adoption c
machines almost a necessity and we with diff
lfioulty comprehend the reluctance which ha
attended their introduction among many ia
tons.
: But for the reaper, and thresher our prai
rleS must nave IAN Iule Ior many years, d lol
5 waste Of coarse grasses, and wild flowers o
little use to man. 1t would have been i'm
; possible for many generations to furnish tn
> labor that these now supply.
In that great BShss y ~6sn int b P5 %oS
stood in need of the products they were capa
bic of yielding in such immense quantities
the genius appeared that was necessary to de
l., 10 In
man occupation and multiform invention
render them subservient to human uses.
in many countries however where labo
: with difficulty finds constant ernnIovment thi