Viii BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



porting his argument by the fact that the outlay was greater than 

 the revenue. As to preventing gambling at fairs, it was a thing 

 easier said than done. Mr. Harris replied, and said he believed 

 gambling could be kept fi'om exhibition grounds, but the revenue 

 to societies was chiefly obtained from this feature of our fairs. 

 Mr. Wasson took the ground that of the 70,000 horses in Maine, 

 five or six thousand are trotters — which would show that the pro- 

 duction of horses was a leading industry of our agriculture, and 

 he knew of no reason why it was not a legitimate industry. He 

 knew there was an indiscriminate objection to trials of speed at 

 fairs, but for these abuses the community is largely responsible. 

 If the public say what is right is to be permitted, and what is 

 wrong is to be prohibited, the evils that accompany trials of speed 

 will be corrected. The discussion was closed by Mr. Tenney of 

 the Brunswick Telegraph, who spoke in a pertinent and forcible 

 manner upon the subject, and believed the trials of speed at fairs, 

 properly conducted, was a great source of revenue, and a satis- 

 faction to the spectators. In the afternoon a paper was read on 

 the relations of veterinary science to agriculture (followed by a 

 discussion); and in the evening a lecture, giving the results of 

 certain experiments in Plant Nutrition, by Prof. Levi Stockbridge 

 of tlie Massachusetts Agricultural College. Both these are given 

 injfuU in a subsequent part of this Report. 



At the previous semi-annual meeting of the board, the subject 

 of Fences and Fencing was assigned as a leading topic for con- 

 sideration at this session. This subject was divided into four 

 sections, viz. : history of fences ; statistics of fencing in Maine 

 as to amount ; cost of the fences in the State, and the law of 

 fences with its needed changes. These subdivisions formed the 

 topics of papers which were treated respectively by Mr. Gilbert 

 of Androscoggin, Mr. Getchell of Kennebec, Mr. Ayer of Waldo, 

 and Mr. Wasson of Hancock. The first two papers formed the 

 programme of the forenoon on the second day of the session, 

 and with the discussion following are given in subsequent 

 pages. In the afternoon Prof. Stockbridge gave the second 

 of his lectures, viz.: On the Management of Pastures, given in 

 full at page 70 of this volume. The two lectures of this distin- 

 guished gentleman form a marked contribution to the present 

 volume on the Agriculture of Maine, and are of so valuable and 

 practical a character as to be of gRjat service to all farmers. 

 There are few more important matters coming within the range of 



