Page images
PDF
EPUB

Mr. STEVENS. I would like to ask gentlemen advised on that subject, if there is any statute requiring the election to come off on that day? I do not know that there is any law prohibiting societies regulating that matter for themselves.

Mr. McMillan proposed an amendment that the elections be held in November.

The PRESIDENT. In answer to the question as to whether there is a fixed day for such elections, I would state that there was a law passed requiring the Board to make regulations for the government of County Societies. The Board, for some good reason, fixed the day of election for these societies. It is necessary for societies to furnish evidence that they have a legal existence, and a formally elected Board of officers is essential as this evidence. The election must take place in January.

Mr. McMillan read the rule.

Mr. GARDNER. It is true that this amounts to legislation. It is the duty of the Board to establish regulations for the societies, though the question has not been asked delegates as to the time of their election. Some come up here representing last year's duties, and all representing properly accredited societies. The question is whether the societies shall be composed of old officers or new officers-whether they come up to close up the old business, or to lay out new business. It seems to me that the members of Boards should be old officers to close up business, after which their successors should be elected. During the time of holding the Fairs, promiscuous assemblages are in attendance, and officers elected then cannot be so substantially the representatives of the interests of agriculture as if elected in January. This is a practical question. It is whether the old or the new officer is the proper representative in this Convention. Practically, the fact is that societies have elected their officers whenever it suited their pleasure. Some have been elected the first day of the Fair, others when they settled the premiums, and others as provided by the rule of the State Board on the first of January, so that the regulations have been inoperative, and that is the reason they should be reviewed.

Mr. Stevens proposed an amendment so as to authorize the electior of officers on the last day of the Fair, instead of in January, as now required.

Judge JONES. I would add in addition to the remarks of Mr. Gardner, that the law requires that the members who vote at these elections shall be members of the society, and by the practice of most societies that is determined by the number of family tickets sold during the Fair-the Treasurer keeping a list of persons buying tickets amounting to a dollar. Now, if the day for holding such elections was fixed on the day for holding the Fair, it would be difficult to determine who are entitled to vote. If

fixed for the last day of the Fair, everybody would be running here and there, too busy to give thought or attention to the matter.

Mr. DONNELLY of Wayne. I am in favor of the societies adhering to the regulations of the State Board. In our own county we have elected in January, as provided by the Board, and have suffered no inconvenience. I am opposed to giving these societies the license to take their own time in this

matter.

Mr. STEVENS. At first I was inclined to oppose the resolution, but there are good arguments in its favor. I do not know that we should tie up our hands in this matter, as what is done now may be undone hereafter. There is an objection raised in our locality to having the election held in January, as was formerly done, and it is this: January is a season of the year when it is difficult for the farmers (and they are most interested in the Fairs,) to get out, while the majority in attendance are people from the town, who, our people claim, go in there to control the offices. Therefore they have not a fair chance in these elections, and on this account I would favor an election on the last day of the Fair.

Mr. DONNELLY. In our county farmers do not lose anything by having the election controlled by citizens of villages.

Mr. MCCLUNG. I am in favor of adhering to the rule laid down by the Board. I think that if, as the gentleman says, in his county farmers are not interested enough in agriculture to go to the election, then the work ought to be done by the people of the town. The only way to carry this thing on, is for men to take hold of it and spend their time in earnest in the matter. In our county we have always complied with the rule of the State Board. We had some experience in the last day's business, and found that the election was managed by persons interested in the success of certain friends. That was speedily corrected. The kind of men who will build up a society are those who will go through hot and cold to attend to the business. I should like to see another resolution introduced here asking the General Assembly to repeal the law requiring us to meet upon the assembling of the Legislature. We should create interest enough in agriculture to come out at any season of the year independent of the Legislature. We ought to meet in session for at least four days, and send men up as representatives who take an interest in this matter, and when we do this agriculture will loom up.

Mr. KELLOGG of Ashtabula. No gentleman in my hearing has suggested any good reason why we should not hold these elections on the last day of the fair, or any other time the members of the society may choose. Is there any reason why the people of Ashtabula county should be compelled to meet on any specific day? Has there been any other reason assigned for

holding the election on the first of January, than because it is a rule adopted by the State Board? In Ashtabula county we have held our elections on the last day of the fair, and have experienced no inconvenience from it. Now, Mr. Chairman, it seems to me in the spirit of our institutions to leave the election to the choice of the citizens interested, and the talk about compelling the people to be more strict in this matter, is in direct opposition to it. There can be nothing neglected by doing so, for farmers do look to their interests. It is not the gentlemen who come up here to make speeches who are the life and soul of these fairs, but those who produce the articles upon their farms contributed to them.

Mr. GATES. With us we find that the new system works better than the old. On fair days we have enough to attend to in getting our stock into place and caring for it, while we have found that on the last day of the Fair some intrigue was sure to be gotten up in favor of some packed ticket. But under the new system we come together in January, take the time to talk inatters over, and elect our officers; and we find it profitable. It is a good plan, and I hope it will be adhered to.

Mr. STEVENS replied, defending his former position. He said that he found that there was a good deal of feeling between the country people and the town people. He wished to overcome that prejudice, if possible. He did not think there was anything improper in granting this privilege to Societies to elect their officers at their own pleasure.

Mr. WADDLE. I was a member of this Board when this rule was adopted. There were petitions from several counties for the Board to take action to prevent the election during the progress of the Fair, as they were oversloughed by interested parties.

Mr. HARR of Champaign. In our county we elect our officers immediately after the meeting of the State Board. The payment of one dollar entitles to membership.

The PRESIDENT. I will read for the information of members, and as an excellent way for managing these matters, the published notice for an election in Butler county. But I will just say, in addition to what Mr. Waddle has said, (for I was also a member of the Board at that time,) that such regulations were considered necessary. The rules that we have on the last page of our reports, were written by Major Milikin. The Board had had before it ever so many cases where there were two or three claiming to represent their respective counties. The elections were held on different days, and each claimed his election to be perfectly valid. It was desirable to have one time fixed when the election should be considered legal, and all cause for contention removed. The president then read the following call for an election in Butler county:

ELECTION NOTICE.-There will be an election for Butler county Agricultural Officers on Saturday, Jan. 9th, 1864. Polls open at the Court House at 1 o'clock P. M., and close at 3 o'clock. All residents of the county holding a family card, with their names inscribed thereon, are entitled to vote, and none others.-Hamilton, Dec 26, 1863.

Messrs. ANDERSON and DONNELLY both expressed themselves in favor of adhering to the regulations of the Board.

On motion of Mr. GREEN, the resolution was indefinitely postponed.

QUESTIONS ABOUT PLOWING.

Judge JONES offered for the consideration of members the following queries:

1. Has sub-soil plowing been found beneficial; and if so, upon what kind of soil have the greatest benefits resulted?

2. Has plowing with the Michigan Double Plow been found beneficial; and if so, upon what kind of soil have the greatest benefits resulted?

These questions were accompanied with some remarks by Judge Jones, which were not distinctly audible to the reporter. The substance of what he distinguished is here given :-It is believed now that it is no advantage to the land or crop to turn the soil clear over in any case. The object in deep plowing is to loosen the soil and air it. In regard to double-shovel plowing, where the clay soil is thrown on top, and the surface soil clear to the bottom of the furrow, my observation is that it is no benefit, but rather injurious. And I have not observed any greater benefit from sub-soiling; but I have found the most beneficial results from just turning over the ground so that it would lie as one tile upon another. My experience is that sub-soil plowing on clay soil is not beneficial; that is, that it does not bring up the clay and make it light and beneficial to the grain. A plow has been invented in Scotland by the Marquis of Tweeddale, by which the combined benefits of deep plowing and draining may be secured. The mold-board is convex, and the soil is thrown immediately away and the furrow left loose. It is claimed for this plow, that with one span of horses you can plow to the depth of twelve inches; and it is also claimed, that what it is desired to accomplish by plowing is better done in that way than in any other mode yet discovered. What I said in regard to plowing with the Michigan Double Plow I will state more plainly: It was that you put the surface soil in the bottom of the furrow beyond the action of the sun and air, and the clay on the top, which makes a hard surface. And now let us occupy the few moments left in hearing the experience of gentlemen on this question.

Mr. W. H. WITTER of Medina. I find that sub soiling does not answer

1

the same purpose in all kinds of soil. For instance, a stiff clay soil needs to be sub-soiled deeper and finer than one with more gravel. Mr. Whitter then gave illustrations from his own experience, showing this to be the case. He had a piece which had been in pasture nine years, gravel, which he sub-soiled-the sod being turned under; planted corn, and gathered something over a medium crop. Another piece he plowed to the depth of seven inches; followed with another team and sub-soiled; had a heavy crop. A third piece of clay sub-soil, rolling land, tried sub-soiling and got about ten bushels to the acre,

Mr. GILES BOALT of Huron, had used the Michigan Double Plow, and derived so great a benefit from it, that he resolved to use the sub-soil. The' crop was more easily tended, and the ground in better condition for putting in the corn.

Mr. ANDERSON of Lake. My experience in sub-soiling lands is, that it will do some good in retaining moisture longer and protecting the ground from drouth. The Michigan Double Plow does not require more than two horses, and it has added to and actually made soil upon land that had been exhausted by imperfect cultivation. When I was a boy, a Dutch farmer came from Pennsylvania into our neighborhood and purchased an old, worn out farm. The land had been cultivated for many years after the shallowplowing method, and was supposed to be of little account; but the new proprietor put on three horses when he came to plow it, and the result was, that where only from six to eight bushels per acre had been raised, he soon produced eighteen bushels. He used a large plow-old fashioned --and plowed from eight to ten inches deep. Then if we produce the same beneficial results with a heavy plow that we do with a double plow, we shall save expense. My experience is that this kind of plowing depends a good deal upon the season. Deep plowing is sure to stand drouth better than shallow. A stubble plow is not a good plow for sod land. In plowing stubble with a duoble plow you put the stubble out of sight. So I consider double plowing is better than single plowing with a harrow. The farmers of Lake county hold annually a plowing match, which keeps our plow-makers posted, and unless they make good plows for the market, we go beyond them. I think every Society should hold a plowing match on the first day of the Fair. The speaker then went on to show how their plowing matches were conducted, and how advantageous it was to their people.

Mr. WHITTER. This field I spoke of, contained some eight acres. I was holding the sub soil plow myself, and just at night a gentleman came and called me away, and one land was left without being sub soiled. I was afterwards glad of this occurrence, for it gave me an opportunity of testing

« PreviousContinue »