St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1894-01-27
The Meeting Of the State Agricultural
Society,"

This body met at the Court lOust
shortly after noon on Wednesday aut
was called to order by President JOIN
| Dymond, Of Plaqucmines. Rev. Z. 7
Densou, of the NJ. E. Church Of Ope
lousas, made an invocation. Hon. q. l.
Dup1e, one of the leading members oI
our bar, then delivered a cordial address
of welcome which was 1ittinGIy res.
ponded to by Hon. Henry Mccall, OF
Ascension. President Dymond follow
ed with his annual address which. like
everything eManallng from the we'll
stored mind of that eminent gentleman
was replete with sound suggestions.
wise conclusions and eloquent and
scholarly utterances.
The afternoon session was called to
order at o'clock. Addresses wele
made by Messrs. j. w. Bailey, Laurent
| Dupre, I. II. Lewis and W. 5. Frazee,
all Of St. Landry, and very Interesting
session it proved to be.
| At night Mr.. B, f, Hardesty, OF Wash
ington, delivered his essay entitled
"Furrow and Pavement and the paper
of Miss NJ. L. Elder, Of New Orleans, on
Urban Attractions VS., Rural" was
read by her brother. Several gentle
men present We're SO enthused at the
very clever manner III which the sub
ject was handled that they successfully
arose and in the most glowing terms cx-
pressed their appreciation OF its sentl-
ments and their admiration Of the in
tellectual euuowments Of its gifted
authOreSs.
Notwithstanding the bitter cold
weather, large audience greeted the
assembled agricu!tursts at the opening
of the second days session at 10 O'Clock
Thursday morning. Mr.. H. II. Har-
grove, of Shreveport, than whom none
in the State are better qualified to dis
cuss the subject, made an exhaustive ad
dress on "Our Country Schools-Their
Betterment," which provoked an ami
mated discussion which was participated
in by Mr.. W. S. FraZee and others, and
which was greatly appreciated by the
audience. DR.. Walter Maxwell, OF the
Sugar Experiment Station, New Or
leans, then read an able and interesting
paper on "Present Modes Of Agricutu
raj Inquiry" which would have been
more generally enjoyed had the speaker
been possessed of a stronger voice. As
it was, many Of those who sat in the
rear portion of the room, finding it IN
possible to follow the thread Of his dis
course, began to whisper and thus de-
privcd others who were q little nearer
the speaker from enjoying much Of what
they could have otherwise heard. Gov.
Foster followed in an address on The
Relation of the State to Agriculturc,'
and endeavored to show that the de-
preston of that industry was in no way
attributable to unfriendly legislation.
He closed with an eloquent allusion to
;he grand results achieved by the gal
ant soldiers of the lost cause who beat |
heir swords into plowshares, and |
;hough broken in fortune, had gone to |
work with undaunted spirit and made |
he places desolated by a cruel war to |
blossom as the rose.
At the afternoon session President |
)ymond read an able and interesting
PAPER on 80 The Effect on Louisiana Ag- |
iculture of the Modern Tendency to
Monopoly" and Hon. Chas. Schuler, of
)eSoto, gave the audience the benefit
# his valuable experience both in farm
ng" and in planting" To practical
griculturists this was one of the most
features of the meeting.
At night Commissioner of 1mmjgra-
ion Hawkes. suggested some sensible
'lans to secure immigrants and Messrs
!. L. Carey, of Calcasieu, and R. F. Pat
erson, of Baton Rouge, made interest
ng addresses.
All the proceedings were interspersed
With excellent music under the master
ul direction of Prof. Mayer, and Miss
1. Lastrapes, of Washington, repeated
? charmed the audience with her sweet
ocalization. Mrs. JOS. Bloch, Miss Ju-
Q Bloch and Miss Hilda Mayer, of Ope-
,usas, and Miss Bella Jacobs, of Wash
lgton, brilliantly manipulated the keys
{ the piano during the day sessions,
lille Prof. Mayors orchestra furnished
elightful music for the night sessions.
he colored brass band played several
rs before each meeting and ace0mpan-
d the reception committee to the de-
9t to meet and welcome the delegates
J each incoming train.
The Society closed its very successful
i'd highly interesting meetts--g on Fri
~ night. The only regret we have is
at it was not attended by more of our
rmers