The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-02-15
farm aud Garden.
Scientific Soil-Tillers.
The American Agricultural Associs-
tons Meeting.

met February lst, In the Grand Central
Hotel, New York, in a national conven-
ton that lasted three days. The gather
ing was quite large, and was called to
order at 1870 o'clock by Mr.. N. T.
Sprague, the president. The secretary
read large batch of letters from promi
nent public men regretting their inabili,.
ty to attend, and expressing cordial sym.
pathy with the aims Of the association.
Among the writers were President Ar
thur, ex-senator Roscoe Conkling, Gov.
Foster of Ohio, Erastus Corning, Gov.
Jerome of Michigan, w. H. Vanderbilt,
David M. Stone, Gov. Colquitt, Perry
Belmont, Gov. Farnham of Vermont,
President White of Cornell University,
Gov. Long of Massachusetts,, the Hon.
William M. Evarts, Gen. Horace Porter,
"A. K Mcclure of the Philadelphia
Times, Prof. Waterhouse of the Wash
ington University, Gov. Cornell, Thomas
P. James, late Commissioner of Agricul-
ture of Georgia, and Mayor Low, of
Brooklyn. The President, in his annual
address, referred to the words of encour-
agement the late President Garfield had
addressed to the association, and of the
promise of the useful career which the
farmers calling held out to all who
would join the ranks of agriculturists
The question before them was how could
they elevate their calling, increase the
products of the land, and make farming
profitable and attractive to young men
More than three-ffths of our entire
population, the speaker said, were in
terested in agriculture, and more than
one-half the capital of the nation was
likewise interested in that industry,
which employed the energies of the ma
Jority of the male population as tillers of
the soil. 1t was necessary that the APP
planes OF science and scientific knowl-
edge should be utilized, that the industry
of farming might be made most profitable
and valuable in its results. America led
the world as dairy country, having As
per cent. more mich COWS than any other
country in the world. In 1880 more
than S20,0O0,000 worth of cheese and
butter had been exported, and more than
100000 cattle had been sent to Liver
pool in 1881. The poultry crop of the
country exceeded by one-third the value
of the cotton crop. Although theoretical
chemistry seemed to prove otherwise,
the speaker was convinced of the great
value OF the ensilage as an agent that
would produce an increase of crops. 1t
was important that remedy be sought
against the increasing authorizations and
limitations of food and butter. The
speaker severely denounced oleomarga-
rlne as the greatest enemy to the dairy
lnterest" of the country. Lard also did
not escape adulteration in common with
other articles of food. 1t was important
that laws should be passed to deter and
punish all such imitation of articles of
food and all food adulteration. This
would force the sale of food for what it
really was, and would protect the con-
sumner from deleterious impositions.
Gen. Henry E. Tremain followed the
President with paper on "How the
Crops are Moved" The question of the
relations and differences between the
crop producers and the great corpora
tions, he argued, must be settled by the
intelligent, independent, and public
spirited agriculturists, and they should
make themselves felt through the results
of State legislation. 1t is by this means
that undue CONTEMPLATION of corporate
influences to the detriment of the farmer
was to be prevented and the intolerable
mlschlefs OF huge corporations of capt.
talized power suppressed. The speaker
urged that remedy could be found in
the establishment of some authoritative
and uniform relation between through
and local freight rates; by increased
penalties for violation Of the law in case
OF improper charges for transportation
direct representation of the State and the
governing authority of railroads and
telegraphs; by adequate provision for the
State to exercise the right of relieving
owners Of railroads of their properties at
value that should, of course, accord
with the public interest and welfare and
by securing publicity Of every act of rail-
road administration and every penny of
expenditure.
N. B. Northrop, Of Connecticut. next
read a paper on Farmers Homes
These, he said, ought to be made
healthy, intelligent, social, attractive.
and tasteful At the close of the read
ing the Association adjourned to lunch.
Committee on a Garfield memorial, on
transportation, on ensilage and food for
cattle, and on the holding and location
Of a national agricultural fair, were APP
pointed. Judge Kinney, Of Nebraska,
offered a resolution, which was adopted
tavoring the slaughter Of cattle in the
nelphbOrhood vuboro 49, 80 f4l.1