Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-06
1allcastcr Tatelltagr1rer.
TUESDAY EVENING, SEPT. 9, 1881.
Agricultural 4 Societies.

Agricultural Societies.
Our agricultural interests are our
chief local concern, and as separate
geographical district Lancaster county
far outranks in wealth of production
any othe: in the land. 1t is 10y no means
certain: however, that our farmers real
ize nearly as much as they could Ivy a
more intelligent Investigation into and
appreciation Of improved modes of farm
ing. When We contemplate the small
number of devoted farmers and horticll-
turists who have for many years sustain
ell the local society for the promotion
of these interests, and when we further
consider the extent and value Of the SER
vices which these few faithful men have
rendered to the whole community, we
can only wonder and regret that their
efforts are not better appreciated and
more fully co-operated with. One need
only read the proceedings of any single
meeting of the local society-that of
yesterday-to see who these men are,
and what useful work they do, and how
painfully scant is the representation of
our farmers at their meetings. Each
of the active members of this society is
a centre of influence in his neighbor-
hood, an example in his own results of
the profitable application of the higher
and more intelligent modes of tillagc,
and Il source of benefit to his neiglborS
in his experience and information. Not
q meeting passes, Te venture to say, in
which the interchange of experiments
and of views does not result i'm profit far
exceeding the expense of time occupied
with these meetings. But their direct
benefits are only shared by a few, and
these few would be greatly aided in their
labors if they had the attendance, the
opinions and the results of our farmers
more generally. The monthly meetings
where the attendance is now numbered
by score or few more, should have hun
dreds of agriculturists from county
whose productions are valued by tens of
millions. \ single point referred to in
yesterdays meeting, the relative value
and profit or loss in the product of differ
ent cows, is subject that might with
great gain engage the attention of all
our farmers, whereas probably thousands
of dollars are lost annually bya neglect
of il. And SO witha hundred others, for
ahalf lays devotion to which, monthly
farmers who now neglect them might
be repaid tenfold.
Together with the report of this society
meeting we print an interesting account
of the annual picnic of Il local club
which has for years been well sustained
in a single township. 1t is altogether
likely that general organization of
such club, is more practicable than the
immediate enlargement of the county
society, but we submit whether it is not
worth while considering the practical
bility of establishing general system of
district farmers clubs, under the au
spices and with relation to the county
society, having monthly meetings for
the greater convenience of their mem
berS, a:,d the general society assembling
their representatives, say, quarterly. A
dozen such organizations rs the Fulton
Farmers club, connected by and under
the auspices of central county society,
would, We are well satisfied, if once sue
cessfully established, form Il system for
the advancement of our agricultural in
terests which those engaged in it would
never let die.