Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-03-25
IN IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGLS.
TATTON

Farmer Collins, Of Talbot county, one of
the most practical members Of the present
Legislature and who is at all times fully
alive to the agricultural interests of the State,
introduced early in the session bill rela.
tive TO the establishment of a State Board of
Agriculture. This measure which seems to
have called forth very favorable commenda.
ton frsm the rural press OF the State, but
which now seems to be slumbering in the
hands Of the Committee on Agricultural pro.
vides for the establishment of State Board
Of Agriculture drawn from those Of Virginia
and West Virginia. The board proposed
to be made would exercise supervision over
the weather bureau, gather and disseminate
information useful TO the farmer, and would
report annually TO the Governor and to the
Legislature.
The importance OF such information in
connection with agricultural interest has
been shown time and again. Independent
of the two States we have mentioned as
having adopted such measure, there are
the great States of Pennsylvania and Ohio
which have their Boards of Agriculture,
and it is asserted that not one of them could
be persuaded upon to repeal the enactments,
50 great have been the benefits derived
Indeed, the annual reports alone Of these
several bodies have given great agricultural
information to the farmers whose interests
they were intended to enhance and stimu.
late. They have been the means not only
offurnishing valuable Information, but many
times OF actually educating the farmer in his
vocation by alternating many Of the hard.
ships which he necessarily has to encount.
er.
We think it would be step in the right
way to have such law enacted-it could
certainly be productive of no harm aud
would be attended with little cost. Mary
land is strictly an agricultural State, and
we hear constant complaints from all parts
of the State OF the necessity of fostering
such legislation as would encourage and
augment this great industry Indeed, the
charge is frequently made that the Legisla
ture exists for every class save that of the
farmer, and it is this very question which at
one time last Fall threatened the establish
ment of third party within the State
In order to develop the agricultural inter
ests Of the State, we should have board Of
intelligent and practical farmers who, I'M
der liberal and wise legislation, would be
able to consider carefully the agricultural
situation and thus from time to time be able
to direct the Legislature in the direction of
providing for the farming interests.
With the enactment of such an important
piece of legislation, brains and snews will
unite their forces to augment the produc.
tons OF our fields, and the application or
science TO industry will succeed 10 a blind
and proftless empircism, as we'll as to
stubborn hereditary routine. The economy
OF Intelligence, through the agency of
thoughtful and practical men, will prevent
The waste of material which is the natural
result OF mind waste, and by the saving Of
fertilizers, labor, food and all forms of CAPT.
tai will add millions every year to the
pockets of the farmers and the wealth OF
the State