The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-03-09
Agricultural.
To the People OF stark County, Ohio.

FELLOW CITIZENS AT a meeting held
by the Stark County Agricultural Society,
Friday, Feb. 25th, 1870, the undersigned
were appointed a committee to prepare an
address in spirit with the object of the
association, and to cause the same to be
published with the list of premiums, to
be awarded for articles on competition at
our next County Fair" to be held in the
city of Canton, on September 9th, 28th,
29th and Both.
We feel but humbly qualified for the
discharge of that important duty, and
hope that our deficiencies may receive
your mildest criticisms.
The Improvement of agriculture, and the
encouragement Of manufactures in our
State, received the earnest attention, the
fostering care, in the earlier stages of the
formation of our government. We should
lie recreant IN our duty as good citizens,
to be found wanting in the advancement
of such noble cause The first require
ments necessary to awaken a proper feel
ing on that subject are the ways and
means best calculated to have q tendency
in that direction. Agriculture ranks
among the highest avocations in life ev-
cry where, and should be so esteemed by
every well meaning member of society,"
The immortal Thomas jefferson, in his
letter to Mr.. Peale, dated Aug. goth, 1911,
says: No occupation Is so delightful to
me as the culture of the earth,
such variety of subjects, some one al
ways coming to perfection, the failure of
one thing repaired by the success of an
other, and instead of one harvest, con-
tinued one through the year" The i'm
mortal Washington, in his annual message
to both houses of Congress, Dec. 7, 1896,
says: at will not be doubted, that, with
reference either to individual or national
welfare, agriculture is of primary impor-
| tance. In proportion as nations advance
III population and other circumstances of
! maturity, this truth becomes more appar-
ent and renders the cultivation of the soil
more and more an object of public patron
| age. Institutions for promoting it grew
up, supported by the public purse, and to
! what object can it be dedicated with grea-
ter propriety? Among the means which
have been employed to this end, none
have been attended with greater success
| than the establishment of Boards, oompo-
sed of proper characters, charged with
collecting and diffusing information, and
enabled by premiums and small pecuniary
! aids; to encourage and assist a spirit Of
| discovery and Improvement. Experience
accordingly has shown, that they are very
cheap instruments of immense national
| benefit"
Such were the sentiments on the subject
| of Agriculture of these two great and great
est of illustrious American Statesmen, Sa
ges and Patriots. But all this is iargon to
many of the present and rising generation
it is too old and too slow in sentiment to
be fast enough for young America"
| Many of our farmers sons and others
view ii as not fast enough, to walk behind
| the plough and harrow, or toll in any 9th
er manner on our rich and blooming fields
and meadows. Their ambition and aspira
| tion are in their estimation of more en-
nobling character; they leave the homes
Of their fathers, and the freside of a far
mers or fathers homestead, and make their
debut in either villages, towns or cities of
the first or second class; some to become
merchants. others lawyers, preachers, doc
tors, ,daguerreotypist patent right venders,
map and book agents, saloon grocery, or
restaurant keepers How many young
man has thus wasted the best years of his
life, and has thus sacrificed his finest pros
poets in pursuit of an imaginary shadow.
We 90 not wish or intend to impugn the
motives of any youth, there are many in
stances, every where, more especially in
our largest cities, where such changes have
proven the greatest success. but in a great
majority of such instances, the experiment
has resulted in disastrous failures. ThC
great difficulty appears to be, that we are
having too great number of concelted
smart, sharp men,
The inventions and improvements of la
Dor saving machinery, more especially that
of agricultural implements, render the oc
cupation of farmer, of the present day
compared with that of the past, in the days
of Washington as position to be envied
| The cares and troubles of the banker, law
yer, merchant and like others are strangers
to him, be Is of all the most independent
and is king over his dominion, he can sur
round himself with we'll selected library
on all important subjects, and with clear
head andpure heart, he has the finest op
portunity during the long winter evenings
to store his mind with careful knowledge
No other avocation presents a more favor.
able opportunity in chemical experiments
botanical Investigations and other sciences
He would take a pride in having the neat
est farm, every thing in fine order, place
for every thing, and every thing in Its
place; the best cultivated fields, sow the
most approved seed for cereal. and keel
the mCst productive and profitable live
! STOCK, no more IN numDef IMAM the size O.
his farm Will fully warrant.
We all should feel proud that We have
our homes in so rich county as ours
which more especially on the subject o
agriculture in proportion to its territory
ranks second to none in the State, the mos
salubrious climate, its soil for wheat can
not be excelled, in coal and mineral, no
! surpassed in the State, its silvery streams
r and pure fountains are equally and plen
! tifully distributed over its surface, some o
, its majestic oaks and other useful timbe
! still hold up their heads high and fearless
: in the sky, and bid defiance to their foe
f It's population is composed as genera
: thing, of an honest, Industrious, intelli
E gent and energetic people. Much how
= ever has been done by US which we shoult
= not have done, and much has been lef
t undone, which we should have done"
L. LIVE STOCK