value in the education of the stock grower, who wants to see the animal in the best condition consistent with profitable results.

If we would induce the real producer to exhibit, we must so arrange our premiums as to provide for competition among producers, and not compel the legitimate breeder and farmer, who is limited to the crops and stock of his own farm to compete with the trader, who has the range of all the markets for his selections

The present practice is to allow parties to compete in the live stock classes, without restriction as to the residence of the exhibiter, or as to where or by whom the stock is bred.

Availing himself of these rules, a gentleman in an adjoining State, in 1875, selected eight or ten of the best cattle he could find, of ages corresponding with the different classes in the exhibition catalogues, to constitute his "show herd" for the next year's campaign. Everything that feeding and training could accomplish was resorted to, to put these cattle in the best show condition; and early in the season they started for the great exposition at Philadelphia, taking in all the local events on the way, the Ohio State Fair among the rest. Not one of the animals in the herd was bred by the exhibiter.

Now, it is obvious that the best breeders, who manage their business with a view to legitimate profits, can not compete with exhibiters of this class upon equal terms. Nor is the example here given an unusual one. The prizes are so arr nged as to encourage this campaigning by profes sional exhibiters, being large in amount. The show herd being composed, we will suppose, of only five animals, may be entered so as to compete for different prizes, amounting in the aggregate to from five hundred to one thousand dollars at many of our large fairs; and these shows being usually so arranged as not to conflict with each other as to time, the trained herds of the various breeds, and the trained horses, with the over fatted and stubbled-sheared sheep, etc., may take in a dozen of these "events" during a single campaign.

The owners of these show animals, thus forced and trained for the season's business, are perfectly familiar with all the arts calculated to captivate the fancy of the average committeeman, and they employ the most expert attendants to bring out their stock in proper form.

It can not be expected that legitimate breeders, who are for the most. practical farmers, can compete with parties who are thus encouraged to carry on the show business as a profession; and if we desire the patronage of these farmers at our fairs, our rules must be so framed that their products may be shown without being forced into competition with those of these professional exhibiters.

How shall this be done? In the first place. I suggest that the present practice of having all the prizes "open to the world," as we call it, should be changed; and that in the regular classes for cattle, horses, sheep, and swine, it be required that the animals competing shall be bred by the exhibiters, who shall be residents of the State, or of the county to which. the fair belongs.

These prizes snould run through all the classes, from the aged to the youngest, with at least three prizes in each class-first, second, and thirdto which the judges should be instructed to add commendations wherever they are deserved.

In addition to these, we may have sweepstakes prizes running through the different ages, as above suggested, allowing first and second prizes in each class

In these classes competition to be open to all, without regard to the residence of the, exhibiter, or whether the animals were bred by him, requiring only that they be owned by the parties in whose names they

are entered.

The premiums should not be large. It is time our people were taughtto value the awards of these fairs, held under the authority of the State, more on account of the merit and bonor they signify than for the amount of money to which they entitle the successful exhibiter. This is, in fact, the chief object the bona fide producer has in view; he brings his stock or other product to the exhibition in the hope that it may receive the endorsement of a properly qualified committee as being of fair, superior, or, possibly, of the highest excellence in its class.

To the man who has really breed and reared an animal, or is the producer of any other exhibit, such an endorsement is of great value; it is a commendation, by public authority, of his skill and diligence in the profession of which he is justly proud.

But with the professional showman the case is very different. He follows the business for the money that is in it, and is attracted only to the fairs that offer the largest prizes.

To sum up the changes which I propose in the present management of your fairs, I recapitulate:

1. To enable the secretaries to properly arrange the entries, and to avoid mistakes, as well as contentions, in regard to the places assigned to the various exhibits, and especially to avoid the turmoil and confusion resulting from the present practice, I propose that all entries shall be closed before the opening day, and, at the State Fair, thirty days before the opening of the exhibition, so as to allow a full catalogue of all the entries, with the names and postoffice addresses of exhibiters, to be

made out and printed and ready for distribution, at the opening of the fair; thus providing that all exhibits shall be in their proper places before the public is admitted to the grounds, and give an opportunity to visitors, with catalogue in hand, to make an intelliger t and satisfactory examination in all the departments.

In New York it is the custom to award all the prizes on the first day, and in Great Britain the judges award the prizes before the public is admitted to the grounds. The visitors thus have, in making their examinations, the benefit of the judgment of the committees as to the comparative excellence of their exhibits.

2. I have endeavored to show that all devices, not tending to promote improvement in agriculture, should be excluded from these exhibitions, and especially all such as are calculated to excite idle curiosity, and to attract the attention of visitors from legitimate exhihits; and that, therefore, no prize should be awarded for tests of speed, nor should any such tests be allowed on the fair grounds under any circumstances.

3. That, as the object is to encourage exhibitions by practical farmers' opportunity should be given them to show the products of their industry in competition with exhibiters of their own class, from which speculators and professional showman shall be excluded.

To accomplish this, there should be two general classes for the several descriptions of live stock. The first, to be designated the breeders class, running throuh the different ages, with first, second, and third prizes in each ring, the judges to add commendations to other animals having special merit. In this class, competition is restricted to the breellers of the animals shown, who must be residents of the State, or of the county to which the fair belongs.

The other class, a sweekstakes, running through the different ages, with first and second prizes in each ring.

It is proposed that this class be open to all, without other restriction than that the animal shall be owned by the parties in whose names they are entered.

In both these classes, the different breeds are to be shown separately; and there will be no general sweekstakes, in which all breeds compete together, it being generally admitted that such competition is unsatisfactory and unprofitable.

The premiums should be moderate in amount, as it is anticipated that, with improved management and fair and impartial awards, the merit. and honor signified by your prizes will be more highly appreciated than their money value.

With the changes here suggested, it is confidently believed that your

exhibition will be esteemed as of such practical usefulness and profit to the agricultural interest to the State as to be eminently worthy of the patronage and support of all classes of people.

D. L. Pope remarked that he supposed that it was not now the proper time for any remarks upon this subject, but, when the programme was through with, he desired a few moments to give his views with regard to the subject. He would say, however, that in the main he coincided very largely with Judge Jones in his remarks.

THE RELATION OF SCIENCE TO AGRICULTURE.

BY PRESIDENT EDWARD ORTON.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention :

I was invited to speak at your annual meeting one year ago on the subject which has just been announced, viz: "The Relations of Science to Agriculture."

I accepted the invitation provisionally, but when I began to consider the subject, I found it so large and unwieldy that at a late hour, I felt obliged to ask for at least a postponement of the promised service. A year has passed but it has not reduced the proportion of the subject, nor has it brought me leisure in which to consider it, so that when called upon to day to fulfil the obligation then assumed and to discuss this theme in the few minutes that it will be proper for me to occupy, I am again filled with surprise at my temerity in undertaking such a task.

But the very

The story is told of a theological student who, when he had finished his trial sermon, laid down his pen in despair. He was sure that he could never write another sermon, for he had covered all the ground in the first one-from the creation to the general judgment. A proper discussion of the relation of science to agriculture would in like manner cover almost the whole field, and leave little more to be said in regard to the great calling in whose interest we are here assembled. breadth and compass of the subject must be my protection. There is scarcely any thing pertaining to agriculture that I can not discuss under this theme, and still be in o der. Without undertaking, then, to present any full or balanced statement of the relations of science to agriculture, or without even attempting to state in any formal way what those relations are, I proceed to use the few minutes assigned to me as best I may. We know what agriculture is. We glorify it as the oldest and most important of the arts that man has learned, as the great source of human well-being and progress, as the indispensable basis and condition of civilized life. It concerns itself chiefly with the care and tillage of the soil. What is this soil on which it spends its strength? It is a thin and

superficial stratum that is spread out over most of our land surfaces. What is its origin and history? It is derived from the rocky crust of the earth by slow processes of weathering and decay. It is the last product of a long-continued evolution. It has been in the process of formation and accumulation for centuries, and even for ages. The atmosphere with its various elements, water in its several states, chemical action and mechanical violence, have all united to make it what it is. It hs, then, a complex composition, and a very extended history. What does agriculture do with this soil? It makes it furnish standing ground and nourishment to the various plants on which man directly or indirectly depends for his bread, his meat, his clothing, and his stimulants. To be more particular, the production of cereals or bread making plants is one of its chief concerns. But these are drawn from various and widely dif ferent divisions of the vegetable kingdom. Take those of Ohio, for example. They differ as to the kinds of soils required Some will thrive only in strong soils, and some only in light soils. They differ as to habits of growth. Some must be sown in early spring, some in late spring; some in summer, and others still in autumn. None of these are native here, but all have the weaknesses and helplessness of strangers in a strange land. They require to be protected with the utmost skill and care from the various unfriendly agencies to which they are exposedfrom unfavorable conditions of climate and soil, and from the destructive competition of new phases of animal and vegetable life.

Another great interest of agriculture is found in the forage plants, and in the animals that man has subjected to his control that depend upon these plants. Here are added not alone the problems that belong to new groups of the vegetable world, but also the large and complex questions that pertain to animal structure, animal nutrition and multiplication. The various kinds of food, the offices of food, the relative values of food, are examples of these questions.

I need not dwell on the other groups of plants from which we derive our textile fabrics, our stimulants, and our various supplies. Each involves new elements, and each introduces new complexity. Take, for example, that "Indian Weed," the use of which defiles our western civilization, and furnishes to the theologian the best possible proof of the total depravity of man, so far at least as good taste is concerned; take tobacco, and consider how much knowledge and station and the elements of fertility and the conditions of vegetable growth are involved in making a crop of this baneful weed.

Agriculture, then, is obviously and confessedly a vast and complex subject. It makes a large demand for knowledge on the part of all those