breeds, in a convenient piggery, either converting grain and vegetables into sweet, tender pork, or rearing young, and with a little labor and skill on the part of their owner, manufacturing a huge pile of valuable fertilizers from muck, weeds, straw, turf from the roadside, with the aid of the wash from the laundry, ashes and plaster to retain ammonia and assist in decomposition. His abundant crops of all kinds are carefully harvested and securely protected from vermin in their respective places, illustrate fully and forcibly to every observer, the influence of early and correct agricultural discipline. His literary department would interest intelligent minds, being largely supplied with scientific productions of eminent agriculturists, illustrating the goodness, wisdom and power of nature's God, in the production from the germ to maturity, everything upon which we and ours subsist from infancy to age. Here we find the choice literature of present and past ages; the relics of dissipation, ignorance and profanity being discarded. His children (being his pupils) here find recreation and spend their leisure hours with profit; they are familiar with art and science; they admire the works of nature; they love the beautiful and rare flowering plants and shrubs that surround their home. They combine theory and practice in the cultivation of all farm crops; they understand the nature and varying character of their soils, and the requisite quantity and quality of needful fertilizers. They are familiar with the origin, descent and characteristics of their domestic animals, whether natives, grades or thoroughbred. They have moral courage to advocate truth against falsehood. In short, they love that quiet home, made cheerful and happy by early, continued and practical education in the right direction and are choice specimens of agricultural production, possessing such religious, moral, agricultural and political qualifications that when circumstances call them to leave the home of their childhood, we find them master-mechanics, engineers, navigating the ocean, consul or minister to foreign countries, religious missionaries at home or abroad, at the head of or in some of the national departments, in legislative or congressional halls, president, professor or student in some agricultural college, or last though not least, members of the board of agriculture, devoting their best energies to promote the interests of agriculture. Some may say that this picture is over-drawn; that that such men as Mr. A are not to be found, and that such models as Mr. B are rarely found.

I appeal to you, gentlemen. Do you not find Mr. A very often in your intercourse with mankind? Do you not frequently meet him in your legislative halls, denouncing all agricultural associations, all scientific farming, all Boards of Agriculture, all Agricultural Colleges; and contending with pent up vengeance against all appropriations for such objects, until, like the maniac, they regard everybody as insane but themselves?

I also ask you, do you not often meet Mr. B, his whole soul in the work of elevating his brother man to a higher life in all his pursuits? He regards the human family as susceptible of improvement and believes that what has been done by man, can by man again be done; yea, even more than this, he is determined to excel. I could name such, but they are so numerous that I desist.

I have considered the subject mainly from an agricultural standpoint. I have done this because I believe agriculture to be Alpha and Omega. The first man was very soon (after his creation) initiated in the first principles of agriculture, and I am inclined to think the first woman very early in life had some practical knowledge of the duties of her sphere as a farmer's wife. I make the assertion broadly, that agriculture underlies and is the foundation of all our institutions, and all other departments of industry are successful in proportion as agriculture succeeds. If this be the fact, should not every man ask himself, what am I doing in this great work? How many could respond, I am fully doing my duty?

HON. J. STANTON GOULD of New York, followed with an interesting lecture on "The Relations of Railroads and Transportation to Agriculture."

MR. THING then introduced the following resolutions, which were seconded by Mr. Simpson and unanimously adopted, the large audience all rising:

Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention are hereby tendered to Hon. John Stanton Gould of New York, and to Hon. Theodore S. Gold of Connecticut, for their very acceptable, interesting and instructive contributions to the usefulness of this session, and that the vote be taken by rising.

Resolved, That the above resolution be entered in the Records of the Secretary of the Board.

Adjourned.

FOURTH DAY.

FRIDAY, January 26, 1872.

The Board assembled at 10 o'clock, Mr. Scamman of Cumberland in the Chair.

The day was chiefly occupied with reports from delegates from Farmers' Clubs. To give these in full would occupy large space and involve a repetition of much which has been presented in former volumes. From their general tenor abundant evidence appeared regarding the exceeding usefulness of these institutions, and abundant encouragement for their promotion. Plentiful testimony was also given showing the need of them, the uses which they subserve, and that a large amount of indifference and vis inertia exists among many, perhaps among the majority of farmers, which needs to be overcome, and which demands persistent, earnest labor on the part of those who realize the need of elevating agriculture to the position it should rightfully occupy, and the consequent need of a general diffusion of both practical and scientific knowledge among farmers.

What Farmers' Clubs have already accomplished in these directions in many neighborhoods, as testified to by many of the speakers, gives the highest encouragement for continued efforts where they have been in operation, and for their formation in other neighborhoods. It also appeared that for successful working there must be some who are willing to devote much more than their proportionate share of time and labor to the work; and who will work on steadily after the attraction of novelty has worn off,— and who by their well directed enthusiasm may leaven the duller ones with progressive ideas.

No other calling suffers so much for lack of contributions to the common stock of knowledge by means of what each other has gathered from experience, as agriculture. Farmers are not brought together so much as mechanics and many other classes; they have less opportunity to inspect each other's work and to criticise and profit by one another's operations. Whatever contributes to this end serves an exceedingly useful purpose, whether it be the Town Fair, the County or State Exhibition, a printed Book, the Newspaper, the Club, or whatever else. In many cases Town Exhibitions have been got up by Clubs, and have brought their benefits as it were to the doors of all. These in their turn contribute greatly to the success of County Exhibitions, and these again to

that of the State. What the primary assemblage-the "Town meeting" has done for us as a nation,-educating all in the fundamental principles and practices of free government-true Republicanism-genuine Democracy-elevating each to a consciousness of being one of the sovereign people, and to a sense of responsibility as the source from which power flows and laws arise, such may the farmers' club be in regard to that most important industry which feeds all the industries of the world-and without which society must retrograde into barbarism and go hungry, or starve at that.

Among the points most clearly shown by the statements of the delegates were the following: That it is expedient to have the meetings partake of a social character, thus insuring the attendance of wives and daughters, young men and maidens. That it is best to have the discussions opened by the reading of a paper previously prepared by some member, to be followed by extemporaneous discussion; that it is well occasionally to obtain a speaker from abroad, but that the main dependence should be on home resources; that a good library is a great help; that the benefits are not confined to the members alone, nor shown only in increased activity of thought, greater facility in expressing ideas and views, ease in presiding gracefully and effectively, &c., but that many who do not attend the meetings get much good at second hand, they hear something of the discussions, and see something of the improvements as put into practice, which were mooted at the club, and are led to better practice on their own farms. It was also stated that substantial improvements thus originated had effected so material an increase of value in farms and farm property that it was visible in the valuation made by the town assessors. The reports of delegates being concluded, on motion of Mr. Lang, the following resolution was adopted unanimously.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Maine Board of Agriculture be and are hereby tendered to the citizens of Paris, for the ample and convenient accommodation provided for its deliberations; for the cordiality with which it members have been received, and for the uniform kindness and courtesy extended to them.

Mr. Shaw of Paris, responded to the resolution in highly appropriate terms; and the Board finally adjourned.

BOOKS FOR FARMERS.-Not unfrequently inquiries are made regarding the best books on agriculture for public or private libraries, Farmers' Clubs, &c. It is usually no easy task to select those which, in character, numbers and price will best answer the varied requirements which are thus sought to be supplied.

But there are some which can be recommended without hesitation. Among these is a work on PRACTICAL DAIRY HUSBANDRY, by X. A. Willard, A. M., of Herkimer County, New York. It treats very fully of Dairy Farms and Farming, Dairy Stock and its Feeding and Treatment, Management and Manufacture of Milk into Butter and Cheese by the most improved methods of the present day, giving also the history and mode of organizing Butter and Cheese Factories, together with much else of interest on related matters. Mr. Willard gave an address at the session of the Board at Farmington in January 1871, which was published in the report of last year. Those who heard him on that occasion, or who have read the address can readily judge of his fitness for such a task. Suffice it to say that having had practical experience in his own dairy for upwards of twenty years and having enjoyed rare opportunities for studying and observing all which pertains to to the Dairy, no man is better qualified for the authorship of such a treatise than Mr. Willard. Octavo, 546 pages. Published by D. D. T. Moore, New York. Price, $3.

To those who believe that a right understanding of fundamental principles is the surest guide to successful practice, and therefore desire to study the scientific truths which bear upon agriculture, are most heartily commended two works by Prof. S. W. Johnson, of the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale College; the one entitled "HOW CROPS GROW," being a treatise on the chemical composition, structure and life of the plant; and the other, "How CROPS Feed," a treatise on the Atmosphere and the Soil as related to the Nutrition of agricultural plants; designed to be a companion to, and the complement of the other.

The results of the more recent investigations of German and French botanists, chemists and agriculturists have been, for the