Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/326

 I 318 GEORGE H. HIMES. "On motion of Rev. A. R. Elder, it was voted that the secretary be requested to furnish a copy of the proceedings, signed by the officers, and send to each of the editors in the Territory, requesting the publication of the same. "Motioned, to adjourn until the fourth Saturday in Octo- ber next. ' ' In connection with this first meeting of farmers to organize an agricultural society, it is a matter of interest to note the attitude of one of the leading papers of the State at that time towards the movement. For that reason the following is quoted from the Oregon Statesman of October 4, 1853, then edited by Asahel Bush, who was then, and still is, a resident of Salem: formation of an agricultural association have been taken by the farmers of Yamhill County, and we trust their movement will be seconded by their brethren in other counties. "There is no part of the world where agricultural and horticultural societies are more necessary, and would be more useful, than in Oregon. The experience and experiments of 'the States' are of little or no service here. Our climate, seasons and soil differ from those of all of them, and agricul- ture and horticulture here must be conducted upon different systems. New experiments must be tried, and new modes adopted. In a great measure everything is to be learned anew. Hence the importance of societies where interchange of opinions and experience may be had. "We hope some member of the Yamhill association will, from time to time, give our readers the benefit of the in- formation elicited through their organization. We also invite short and intelligently written articles upon agriculture and horticulture. ' ' It is impossible to state any thing about the business which was transacted at the meeting set for October 4, above alluded to, as it has been impossible to find any record of it; but this much is known, that the organization wavS fully perfected, and on March 18, 1854, another meeting was held at which arrangements were made to hold a fair the coming fall, and the date was fixed on October 7, 1854, at Lafayette, and the programme was as follows:
 * ' We are pleased to notice that the initial steps towards the