SECRETARY'S REPORT. 51 



Without expressing an opinion whether this would be advisable or 

 not, we beg to make a suggestion, viz : let ten, twenty, or thirty 

 per cent, of the required sum (according to circumstances,) be laid 

 aside from the usual expenditure, for this special purpose, and be 

 put at interest ; meantime, agitate the subject, awaken an interest 

 in it, and at the proper time announce the prizes and allow not less 

 than three years, perhaps four or five, in which to accomplish the 

 improvements. 



Another objection may be made, — that it will cost something for 

 a committee to visit all the competitors, and examine carefully their 

 operations, — to note down year by year the changes taking place on 

 each farm, and to compare results. 



We answer, very true, — but is it not worth something to visit all 

 the go-ahead farmers, and to have the opportunity of examining, and 

 criticising, and comparing, and profiting by what can be seen and 

 learned in such a trip ? Farmers suflfer much by isolation, by the 

 lack of opportunity of visiting and examining each other's sphere of 

 operations. They meet at church, and occasionally at market. What 

 they need is to meet oftener in their factories, and beside their 

 Tiiachinery while it is running. Now, we say that placing a man 

 on such a committee, is putting him into abetter agricultural school 

 than can be found elsewhere in all New England, and if he deduct 

 fair tuition-fees from the needful expense, there will not be a fright- 

 ful sum remaining to be provided for otherwise. 



Respectfully submitted. 



Seward Dill, ) 



S. L. GooDALE, > Committee. 



Hiram Stevens, ) 



The committees on ninth and eleventh Topics, asked leave to 

 report after the session, which was granted. 



Mr. JIammond, for committee on tenth Topic, read a report, which 

 was, after discussion, recommitted with leave to report at the next 

 session, 



Mr. Noyes, from the committee on Topic No. 12, made a report, 

 as follows : 



Can the cultivation of the smaller fruits be made profitable ? If 

 so, what varieties are best, and what are the best methods of culti- 

 vation ? 



