The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-07
THE OFFICIAL FARMERS.
Reelection of the Members of the State
Board Of Agriculture,
The Proceedings by the Delegate Board Yes
terday-Addresses Delivered by Col. May
nard, Hon. ]. Q. A. Sieg aud Others.

The attendance at the convention of the Dele
gate State Board of Agriculture was some larger
yesterday morning than at the opening session
on the previous day. The committee on the
award Of premiums for the exhibits of wheat
and corn presented report, making awards as
follows: Best gallon wkest-First premium,
James Riley, Thorntown; second, j. P. Nichol-
son, Greencastle. Best ear corn-First. j. w.
Scholer Whitestown; second, L. A. Stanton.
Greenwood Largest ear corn-Charles E.
Smaden, Frankfort
Will Cumback, chairman Of the committee on
the presidents address, presented report APP
proving all Of his recommendations, and sug-
costing the appointment of committee to con-
fer with the Governor relative TO the expediency
of leasing new grounds for the State fair, as
well as to take such steps as might be deemed ad-
visable toward procuring the Deaf and Dumb
Asylum grounds from the State at the next
session of the General Assembly. Messrs.
Cumback and McGougey were named by the
president as committee for this purpose.
The following resolution, introduced by Hon.
Will Cumback, was adopted unanimously:
Resolved That any county or district fair which
shall allow the sale of Intoxicating liquors within the
fair grounds which will enforce the law in
gard to games of chance, is unworthy the name OF
agricultural society and meets the strongest cOndem
nation of this delegate board
A carefully prepared paper on insects Affect
ing Corn" was read by Prof. F. M. Webster, of
Purdue University, and was followed by gen
eral discussion, in which Messrs. Mcdonald
Smith, Ratliff, Sieg and Davis participated.
S. p Thompson, of Wayne, ILL.,, secretary Of
the American Percheron Horse Breeders Asso-
citation, in brief address, depressed the hope
that the Indiana State Board of Agriculture
would make the exhibition of Percheron horses
Especial feature.
A resolution was introduced by Robert Mitch
ell asking Congress to pass laws for the suppress
sion of pleuro-pneumonia, thanking the Gov
ernor for issuing his quarantine proclamation
against Kentucky cattle, and urging the appoint
ment of State Veterinary Surgeon. The reso-
luton was adopted.
In his report as superintendent of the me-
chanical department., Mr.. Mitchell recommended
that in the future no free tickets should be is-
sued to exhibitors. This led to prolonged dis
cussion, in which President Lockhart strongly
opposed the recommendation. The matter was
disposed of by being referred to the State Board
1.-THE Management Of Agricultural Fairs, was
the subject of an address by j. " Davidson, of
Montgomery county, in which he spoke at length
of the duties of the managers of the different de-
partments, and suggested many new methods in
the system OF conducting fairs which would tend
to make them more successful.
Immediately after the opening of the afternoon
session the balloting on the election Of members
of the State board from eight Of the sixteen dis
tricts began resulting in all of the present mem
bers being reelected as follows:
First District-Robert Mitchell. of Gibson
county.
Second-Samuel Hargrove, Of Pike county.
Third. @. A. Sieg, of Harrison county.
Fourth-W. B. Seward. of Monroe county.
Eighth-S w. DUNCAN, of johnson county.
Fourteenth-L B. Custer, of Cass county.
Fifteenth-W. A. Banks, Of LaPorte county.
Sixteenth-R M. Lockhart of DeKalb county
In the First district j. N. Davidson was can
didate in opposition to Mr. Mitchell, but received
only two of the ifty-one votes cast l. N. Gotten
received seventeen votes as the opponent OF s.
w. DUNCAN, who got thirty nine, in the Eighth
district. In the Fourteenth district, l.. B. Gus
ter received twenty-eight votes, against twenty
Ave cast for James McClung, of Miami county
Orlando Kmmel of Noble county, the opponent
of President Lockhart for election from the Six
teenth district, received nineteen votes against
thirty-six cast for Mr.. Lockhart. After the an
that he accepted the reelection of all the mem
bers Of the board as an Endorsement of their
management of the State fair, for which he was
so far as he was personally concerned. very
grateful
At the morning session S. D. Thompson, Sec
rotary of the American Percheron Horse breed
ers' Association, submitted TO the Board pro-
position, offering to donate a number of gold
medals and $1,000 to be given as premiums for
the exhibition of Percheron draft horses upon
the condition that no other breeds should be al
lowed to compete for the prizes. Col j.
A. Bridgeland, of Richmond, desired to
protest against the acceptance of this PROPOSE
ton, for the reason that it would exclude all In
| ovh Of tho
State fair. and the premium money would all
be returned to the Percheron rse-breeders'
Association, because it has the only Percheron
horses in this part of the country No
the arrangement but the Percheron
association, while it would be outrageously I'M
fair to the owners Of other breeds of horses
Colonel Bridceland was unable to get oppor-
tunity to make his protest TO the board during
the afternoon but was told that he would be
accorded hearing when the proposition comes
rp for consideration to- day.
Col. j. B. Maynard delivered an INTEREST," ng
address on Agriculture as Source of Pros
perity" which was given close attention To
what extent agriculture is source of prosperity
in the United States, and what it is to be in the
near future, the speaker said. looks first, and
naturally. to inquiries relating to land The
area of the United States and Territories, ex-
elusive of Alaska, is in round numbers about
1880, 600. 600 acres The arabic area is prob
ably about one half of the total area There
were improved in 1880 about 300. 000, 900 acres
leaving 690 600. 600 acres yet to be improved and
made productive. There are in the United
States 4,008,907 farms, with improvements
valued at $40, 1877. 096. 776, farming implements
valued at $406 52O 055, live STOCK ST. 500 464 600,
making the total investment in agriculture $l2,
104 0Sl. 440 while in all other interests the in
vestments aggregate Sc, 040.644, 462. Agriculture
employs 7,670,493 persons and in all other
branches of industry the aggregate number
employed Is 4,233, 365. Contemplating the sta
tissues on the production, agriculture as a source
of prosperity dwarfs to insignifcance all other
sources of prosperity known to the science of
political economy. There is an idea abroad in
the land that there are many arts, occupations,
professions or employments more dignifed and
desirable than agriculture To remove this idea,
or rather vulgar caprice, from the minds of those
who are afflicted with it, occasional reference
is made to Cincinnctus the famous old Roman,
who when he was elected Roman consul, was
engaged in practical farming. Whether consul