The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-07-01
TO THE FARMERS OF OHIO.

At recent meeting Of the Ohio State Board OF
Agriculture, held to appoint a new Secretary and
consider plans for future work, President Wing,
IN calling the Board to order, remarked that in a
recent conversation DR., N. s. Townshend, Profes.
sor OF Agriculture in the State University, had
made some suggestions as to the future work Of
the Boaad, which seemed to him the PresideHt)
ofsuch Interest that he had asked the doctor TO be
present at this meeting and repeat the same TO
the Board. As the Board are all aware DR., Town.
shend was long a member Of the Board and twice
It's President, and has always taken great interest
In our work. DR., Townshend, thus Introduced,
spoke In substance as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN:-Whep this
board was brought into existence in 1876, by an
act OF the Legislature, for the encouragement of
agriculture in the State Of Ohio" one Of the means
OF encouragement specified In the act was the
organization Of county societies. The experience
OF more than thirty years has shown the value OF
such societies, and may, perhaps, justify us in
asking,Whether their organization cannot be made
even more complete and beneficial,
My first suggestion Is, therefore, that the State
Board request and instruct the officers of such
county societies to promote the formation of
township societies under whatever name, that
have the encouragement Of agriculture for their
object, and make them auxiliary to the county
societyi to obtain reports from them and lists Of
members; the reports 10 be drawn from In making
up the report Of the county, and the lists Of the
names to be forwarded to the Secretary Of this
Board, 80 that the Board may have at all times
the means Of communicating with all the enter.
PriainR and intelligent farmers Of the State.
A second suggestion is that the Board take steps
to affiliate and bring into friendly relations all
independent agricultural associations. For OK.
ample, let requests be sent to the Northern Ohio
Fair Association, Of Cleveland, to the Trl State
Fair Association Of Toledo, to the Southern Ohio
Fair Association, of Dayton, etc, asking for re-.
ports Of their work and success. Alse to such or,
ganszations as the Short Horn Breeders, the Ohio
Wool Growers, the Swine Breeders Association,
ETC., etc., for reports to incorporate, like that Of
the State horticultural Society, in the Annual
Report published by the State may be complete
transcript Of the agricultural progress and activity
for each year,
A third suggestion is that the State Board ap.
point we'll qualified specialists to act as advisory
Of the BOard-for example, a veterinarian, a
chemist, a botanist, an entomologist, q civil engi.
neer, etc, These appointees need not be salarled
officers, but when the Board should think proper
to order any special investigation in these depart.
ments, as in case Of any prevailing or contagious
diseases among animals, or Of unusual ravages Of
insects, the necessary work could be done by
these men, and fair compensation made therefor,
Reports Of such investigations would constitute a
most interesting and valuable portion Of the An
nual Agricultural Report,
A fourth suggestion relates to the establishment
Of an Agricultural Experiment Society for the
State. The agricultural progress in Great Britain
for the last half century is greatly due to the ex-
periments made at Rothamsted by LsWes & Gil.
bert, at the expense Of the former. In France
and Germany more than a hundred such stations
are maintained at government expense, and
work great profit to the agriculture Of those coun.
In the United States, however, there are
only two at public expense-one in Connecticut
and one In North Carolina, Ohio cannot afford
to be behind either Of these States. A station
might be established by the Board, with head.
at Columbus, and by arrangement with,
the trustees Of the University, perhaps on the
University farm. The special investigation in re.
gard to our great staples could be made in the re.
gions where such are most successfully produced.
The fifth suggestion is that the Board should
from time to time publish circulars or bulletins