The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-16
Virginia State Agricultural Society,
IMPORTANT MEETING LAST NIGHT
PREMIUMS FOR ESSAYS SAwARDED-sCHE-
DuLE OF PREMIUMS FOR NEXT FAIR
DELEGATES no THE NATIONAL AGRI-
CULTURAL CoNGREss-TRE SOCIETY TO
HAVE AN AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL.

An adjourned meeting, of the Executive
Committee Of the Virginia State Agricutu
raj Society was held at the Ballard House
yesterday afternoon. Present: Vice-Presi,
dent Cowau in the chair, and MeSsrs. Viii.
Ham A. Burke j. ID. Ii. Ross. John Dodson
S. S. Bradford, Colonel Beverly, Major Ro-
gers, DR.. S. Z. Moore, ID. Bannister, S. w.
Ficklm, Esq, MIR. j. Newman, Major r. W.
n. Noland, and Colonel Randolph Harrison.
IMMIGRATION.
The committee to whom was referred the
subject contained in the communication Of
the President laid before the Executive Com
mttce on Tuesday night in relation to the
bill now before the Legislature on the SUBJ
jcct Of actual settlers in Virginia, presented
the following report:
Whereas the experience Of every day
teaches lis the necessity of considering the
vital question OF the restoration of the for
tunes Of Virginia by meuus of inviting
immigration, and thereby securing tine
sale and lease Of our unoccupied lands: and
whereas this committee is profoundly im-
pressed with the absolute and pressing ne
cessty Of adopting some practical plan to
secure these desired eudS; and whereas the
bill now before the General Assembly ap-
pears to embody all the essential features Of
such plan. and is in accordance with the
views and wishes OF the Virginia State Ag-
ricuitural Society as set forth in its memorial
of January 10. 1872, to the Legislature on
the subject Of immigration therefore
ReSolccd, That select committee Of three
be appointed from this body, whose duty it
shall be to make known to the House OF
Delegates, through its Speaker, the Society's
approval of the bill in question, and respect
fully desire that the same may become law.
The report was adopted without a dissent
ing vote, and the Chair appointed MessrS.
John Dodson, S. j. Moore, and S. S. Brad
ford as the committee referred to in the re-
port.
PROGRESSIVE AGRIcULTURE.
The committee to whom was referred the
communication Of Mr.. Edmund Il. Cooke, OF
Cumberland, reported that they had care
fully considered all the suggestions therein
contained, and recognizing the necessity of
some action on the part OF the State Agri-
cultural Society to enlarge its membership,
increase its usefulness, and meet the require
ments of a progressive system Of agriculture,
recommend that the president call general
meeting of its members to be held in this
city on the 2Gth day Of May, and that all the
friends of the Society, and, indeed, all who
are interested in the cause of agriculture.
especially English and other settlers, be cor
daily invited TO deliberate with the Society.
/. Recommend that as soon as the tinan-
cial condition Of the Society will justify the
undertaking an experimental farm should be
established in connection with the Fair
Grounds: that competent chemist should
be employed, cabinet of minerals collected,
with such other auxiliaries to enlightened
farming, mining, DC, rs shall be deemed ap-
propriate.
2. That Farmers Exchange and Read
ing Room on the plan suggested would be
of eminent utility to the farming commu.
nifty as we'll as to the society. That it is
worthy Of consideration whether it can be
maintained in connection with the office Of
the secretary Of the society-that is, in the
same building and under his supervision,
he of course to receive additional compen-
sation for his increased duties.
5. That the committee dlSapprovn the re-
commendation Of salary to the president,
and that the members of the Executive Com
mittee should receive payment for their ira
Yelling expenses. They consider that The
........::e-honoled custom OF the Society in this
respect should Ee seriously observed.
In conclusion, the committee express the
hope that much will be done in the direction
indicated by the menoriaist, and that the
decadence of the Society by diminution Of
its membership, which is undeuiably going
on at present, may be arrested by vigorous
effort; that the downward current which is
now lamented will soon be reverted and sue
ceeded by the food tide Of prosperity.
The report was adopted.
AWARDS FOR EXPERIMENTS AND ESSAYS.
The Committee Gu Awards for Expert
ments gave $50 for an essay on the best
method of cultivating farm Of eco acres in
the granite section of Virginia; for an essay
on poultry raising, $40; medal to V. Val
den for an experiment to test the relative
yield of land ploughed to different depths.
TIE TOBACCO INTEREST.
Major r. W. IN. Noland presented the
following resolution, which WAS agreed to-.
Whereas the Congress of the United States
I'D to the 30th Of June, 1873, has drawn into
the Federal Treasury S234, 800 (Sl40, 900 from
the tobacco.taxl, and until recently levied
q most onerous tax Of 80 cents per pound
on the plug tobacco, the especial product OF
the southern and western States; and where
as they reduced the same TO a uniform tax OF
20 cents per pound by the act of June
9th, 1872, in the line of which enlightened
legislation result was reached which in
creased the demand for planters leaf by more
than 19, ,O00, 900 pounds, and at the same time
the revenues ofthe Government; and wher eas
O further reduction by the next Congress to
l2c. per pound uniform tax would, In the
opinion of this committee, stimulate the con-
sumption annually to an amount not far short
of l50,000,000 pounds, thereby increasing
the demand for planters leaf, and conse-
quen,ly the prices we would receive Tor the
same; therefore. ,....
Resolved, That a committee of fifteen be
appointed on the part of the State Agricul-
turaI Society Of Virginia, who shall be
charged with laying this subject before the
approaching National Agricultural Con-
gress, which meets on the 18th OF May next
in the city of Atlanta, Ga, with the urgent
request that the representative body of the
great agricult ural interests of the country
NAV take such action AS In their Judgment
NAV place the interests Of the tobacco-erow.
ing States of Virginia, North Carolina, Ken
lucky, Maryland, Tennessee, Missouri, and
the southern parts of Indiana, Illinois, and
Ohio interested in the growth Of the great
staple, properly before the Congress of the
United States on subject SO intimately
affecting its growth and prosperity.
NEW MAP.
On motion Of Colonel Ross, Major jed
Eotchkiss was authorized TO prepare geo
logical map of the State twenty feet in length
and the proper width at u cost Of 800, which
is to be hung up in one Of the buildings at
the Fair Grounds.
SCHEDULE OF PREATUMN.
III D., h,to r;t