The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-01-24

with the following address:
GENTLEMEN OF THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
OF MICHIGAN:
1t seems appropriate that once IN leach year
the several agricultural societies Of the State
should send their representatives to general
convention, to compare results and to unite in
recommending what appcsrs, from the exper-
ence OF the members, to be the most practical
method Of conducting County Fairs.
The acknowledged intelligence Of our agri-
culture, the variety of the products and their
uniformity throughout the State, render uni
form system OF conducting fairs possible and
very desirable. No individual or corporation
The best good Of each Is the proper method for
all to adopt. The ideal society is one which
shall have for its object and aim higher
standard OF excellence IN each department OF
agriculture, so that it's fairs shall be an expo
! nent Of that higher standard, and it's prizes
should be gwen as stimulaDts to . healthy en-
ulation among it's memberF. The society that
aims only at financial success by whatever
means or apphances-becoming merely hip
podrome for the deectatlon Of uncutivated
! tastes-haa but lily acquitted itself OF the re-
sponsibilty assigned It, A broader burlesque
upon the true dignity OF agriculture could not
be presented. am glad to know that such
exhibitions are now rare, and are growing
gradually less.
Could the statistics OF eacL agricultural So
ciety in the State be collected and collated,
showing the separate and aggregate amount OF
prizes offered in each department, with the
separate and aggregate amounts paid, the
amount received from all sources, the running
expenses aside from prizes, the value of fix
turer, appurtenances and grounds, and the In
debtedness thereon, very valuable showing
might be made as the basis for your discussions
An attempt has been made by your secretary
in this direction but the responses to his in
quiries have been very few, and the results OF
the investigation are very unsatisfactory. We
need Department o. Agriculture, recognized
by law, with headquarters in the State House.
over which the Secretary OF the State Board of
Agriculture, or some other Official. shall pre-
side. and from which shall issue blanks to the
secretaries OF the several agricultural societies.
making the appropriation Of money by the
Board OF Supervisors, contingent not only upon
compliance with the present provisions OF the
law, but also upon the proper reports having
been made. Then this convention could de-
termine which OF the several departments OF
agriculture we're being fostered and which were
failing for want Of proper recognition by ag-
ricutural societies, and recommend such chang
es as would seem proper from the showing.
Subserving the interest of agricultural soce-
ties ia but small part OF the good to agricul-
ture that would result from the establishments
OF such department. For the better promo
ton OF this interest, and some OF which such a
department could furnish. are museum OF the
agricultural products OF our State: a fully
equipped agricultural library; headquarters for
scientific nvestgation-analyse OF soils. OF
grains, or the results OF former analyses fur
nshed; compilation Of an annual agricultur-
al census report. In short, compendium OF
agricultural knowledge gathered in the interest
OF an occupation which controls fifty per cent
Of Ethe wealth of our State, and EMPLOYS five
sevenths OF all the voters engaged in industrial
and commercial pursuits.
Nature seems to have fitted this lower penin.
sula Of ours to be exclusively an agricultural
region; and the diversity of its indigenous pro-
ducts Will ever give to agricultural shows a va
riety which will tend to perpetuate them. IN
some form, for many coming generations. In
the very nature OF things agriculture can never
come to stand-stlll. prosperous agriculture
means prosperity everywhere. But no industry
can become prominent by being iSnored,-i,
needs the fostering care Of legislation; wise
counsels must prevail, and all the AIDS which
wisdom can formulate should be used to slim
ulate its progress.
Gentlemen, you each have, probably, spent
valuable time and more or less money 10 stim-
ulste that branch OF agriculture which you here
represent. Every person and occupation with
in the circle Of your influence has been bene-
fitted by your unselHsh labor. Your devotion
to the real interest OF your society has doubt
less drawn down upon you unjust criticism.
Your failures have been very audibly con-
demned and your successes very family com
mended. Shall individual effort without com
pensation be the sole support Of this great in
terest? submit whether change In the law
should not be so made as to require the Board |
OF Supervisors, upon the proper showing of the
officers, to assess upon the properly Of the
county at least the minimum amount contem- |
plated in the law. Iapprshend that one rsa-
son for the lack of attendance OF very many
representatives of this convention is lack Of
funds to defray the expense attending It. The
world has yet to listen to the argument against !
the utihty Of agricultural falrs. they are as
necessary and as natural to an intelligent asn-
culture as diagrams and models are TO me-
chsnics; and the only recognized public appre-