The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-01-18
The Rarnl.
Farmers, Gardners, Horticuiturists,
Dairy and Stockmen are requested to
write for this Department.
Meeting of the Farmers.

The Maryland Farmers Association
assembled at Pythian Hall in Balti-
more on Wednesday, Jan. 9th, in its
fourth annual meeting. The associa-
tion is composed, when full, Of about
one hundred delegates. Each county
is entitled to the same number as it has
representatives in the State legislature,
and one for each local association
Cecil county was represented BY Vice
president, Henry S. Coudon, f. Noyes
Fl. II. Duyckinck, DIR, R. c. MackalI,
5. R. Carson. Cecil Farmers Club
Joseph Coudon.
The death of ex Governor Hamble.
ton, president of the association, since
the last annual meeting created the
necessity of the Vice.presidents from
the counties selecting one of their
number to preside at the meeting Of
the session, and Col. VIM. Allen, vice.
president for Baltimore county and
principal of the McDonogn School was
selected.
The President ln his address said:
"We come together as the represeu-
tatives Of the agricultural interest of
Maryland-interests which, viewed
from whatever standpoint, are among
the most important of the common
wealth. Though half of our population
is collected in cities, the census of 1880
shows that two out Of. every seven work.
ing people in the state are engaged in
agriculture. The value of farm products
at that time was about 100000 900
But these figures fall short Of showing
the real Importance of the agricultural
interest. The prosperity of the state
is more intimately bound up with ag-
griculture than with any other of its
great industries. The progress of its
farming population is the best criterion
of the general improvement. A failure
in the body polite to cherish this great
interest Is to reproduce the old fable of
the belly and the members. There is
much thatis creditable and encourag-
ing in our Maryland agriculture. We
have many well.tilled farms and many
farmers as intelligent, progressive and
successful as any in the country. We
have neighborhoods, large districts,
even, which, in high cultivation and
productiveness, will compare we'll with
any in our sister states. Ours is an
extremely varied agriculture, as varied
as our climate and soil, which include
all the changes of the Alleghanies.
This great diversity in our farming has
both a good and bad side, SO far as pro,
gress is concerned. More intelligence,
less narrowness, wider views, have re-.
suited from the commingling of those
engaged in widely different branches of
agricult,lre.'
Reverting to the fact that Maryland
farmers were not keeping abreast with
other States and we're falling behind
those of the Western States the Pres
ident said:
"But on the other hand, there has
been less unity of action and more diff
fculty in combining the agricultural
community as a whole in the pursuit
of common ends. We are like soldiers
without leaders-everbody fighting on
his own hook. One good step has been
taken since our last meeting-the es-
tablishment of an experiment station.
From the lack of any means of secur-
ing unity Of action in this matter we
were years behind our neighbors in
accomplishing it.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
"Indeed, we owe it not to anything
the state has done, but to the general
government. All the credit that Mary.
land can claim is having put this insti-
tuition into good hands. But, by whom
soever accomplished, it is subject of
congratulation that the station has been
organized and is at work, with the
promise of great good. How often do
our local societies lead precarious ex.
istence for the want of little outside
encouragement and help to aid each
other by lack of concerted action! In
some states they are kept up to their
maximum point of efficiency by the