Year: 1861

!
portance in regard to agriculture elic,ted
in the discussions, should be recorLea
with especial care aud sent to the near'
est news or agricultural paper for publ
cation. ...a..-


Ifthere are any clubs ofthe kind d.
ready organized within your knowledge,
in your county, you will confer a favor
by informing me where they arc located,
| and no are the officers, with their post
I Office address Should there be none In
your neighhorhood, hope to hear from
you soon that you have been instrument
'a! in forming one, when you will please
also send ne the name of the Secretary,
&c, as well as list Of its members and
any other matter of interest pertaining
thereto. for record in this Office.


Although the above request is made 70
more than two thousand persons through
out the State, and one OF your neigbbors
may also have copy of the letter, do
not overlook this appeal on that account,
but hasten to obtain the honor OF being
the first to set the ball in motion by cal
ling meeting of all your nearest farmers
at your own house to form Farmers
Club you cannot obtain more than
three persons TO cooperate with you oe-
Gin with them This number is enough
If Won commence in earnest, as others
will be added


If Iowa had but one good Farmers
Club in every organized township in the
State during this winter, this fact, II
known to those looking to the West for
their future homes, would impress them
so favorahly in regard to our standard as
an agricultural people, that they would
hasten to find location under the bright
rays emanating from such organizations.
| have abundance of testimony from far
mers at home and abroad to convince the
most skcptical that they pay, socially,
intellectually, and recuniariIy, and as the
long winter evenings have commenced,
permit me to call your attention to the
following extracts, principally from the
Country Gentleman, written by farmers,
that they may be read at your first meet
ing, and perhaps serve to instruct you on
some important points which have not
touched.





=" But there is one beneficial operation
of Clubs and Societies among farmers,
which, if should judge from my own
feelings aud those of IA few with whom
have convcrsed upon the subject,
should place foremost and chief among
their advantages. | refer to their ten
dency to induce the members to read
and study records of facts opinions, and
experiences, aud to observe what is pass
ing around them with great care. They
induce some, also, to put the opinions or
theories advanced by themselves or 9th
ers, to the test Of experiment, This
stimulating and sharpening influence up
on the observing, reasoning and active
powers of the mind, | am disposed to
rank as the chief among the several ben
cfts which the discussions and inter
changes of thought and experience among
the members of these associations have
tendency to produce. Pride, or dread
Of appearing to disadvantage, will induce
some to observe, to experiment, to read,
and to reflect; while others will be in
huenced to the same course from more
dignifed and generous motives. In these
and other ways the mind is reused to ac-
tivity, and this increased mental activity
! leads to improvement, both within and
without both of the power to think aud
Judge, aud plan judlciousiy, and of the
mode Of carrping on the various opera
tions of the farm.


"Wherever Farmers Clubs have been
formed in prudence aud enersetieally
| sustained, grand results have followed.
Their history has been brilliant one in
many rural district.


Why then are they not more univer-
sally established Not because they
lack in utility for their benefits develop
themselves clearly Not because farmers
are not capable of getting up and sus
tanning them. There is intelligence
enough in every farmers neighborhood
to start them with interest aud the long
er they exist, the more interest and tai
,nt will be elected, for they lead to close
thought, diigent study and fixed obser-
| vation. Positive indifference and lack
of energy must be the causes of their
failure.


! Men of all other professions associate
and meet for the advancement of their
calling, and why shall not the farmers,
who should stand first Of ALL inasmuch az
it was The tirs, employment assigned to
man. and inasmuch as it feeds and clothes
all.


Why do they not assume their posi-
tion, unite and regulate their plans ac-
cordingIy %


However club is constituted, it
should be as simple in its organization as
possible. The meetings should be as
tree from parliamentary restraint as pos
sible. The punctilious palaver OF de-
batting society is ridiculous when We
want 10 get mans practical notions,
and think less of his grammar or rhetoric
than Of what he means. The chief du-
ties of the president are, to prevent two
people from speaking at once, to lead
back discussion to the topic under con.
sideration, and to call out the backward.
that there may be no waiting for some
body tosspcak, which distracts attention
and makes any meeting stiff and disa-
/ grceabe


Farmers, when they thus meet should