392 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



he wishes to pursue any special system of instruction, they may 

 see the thing from the beginning to the end of the year, in the 

 green-houses in the horticultural department, or anywhere else. 

 And we have an arrangement by which the Seniors are changed 

 back and forth from an alphabetical list, as it is necessary to make 

 up tliis two-thirds and one-third ; which change occurs every 

 fortnight. 



Adjourned to two o'clock, P. M. 



Afternoon Session. 



The Convention reassembled at two o'clock, Hon. Lyndon Oak 

 of Garland in the chair. 



An exceedingly interesting exercise in the application of natu- 

 ral philosophy to agricultural operations was given by the students 

 of the Agricultural College, under direction of Prof. Fernald, the 

 principles enunciated being very clearly illustrated by diagrams 

 on the blackboard. 



At the close of this exercise, which occupied about two hours, 

 the Chair called upon Dr. Boynton of Vermont to address the 

 Convention. ■ 



Dr. Boynton. 3Ir. Fresident and Gentlemen: — I do not accept 

 the invitation to speak for a few moments for the purpose of ex- 

 panding the thoughts that have been brought before you by this 

 exercise, but rather, in the first place, to express my personal 

 satisfaction with the m^inner in which these subjects have been 

 presented. We have had here, if I may so express myself, some 

 of the first fruits of your college at Orono, a foreshadowing of the 

 good things to come. Personally, I have been liighly pleased 

 with the manner in which these illustrations have been brought 

 before us, and with the evident understanding thea'e is of the 

 principles by those who have exhibited them. I have been forcibly 

 reminded, wliile listening to these demonstrations, of the old 

 method of instruction no longer ago than when I myself was a 

 boy. We were arranged on the recitation seats, these subjects 

 were brought up; for instance, the teacher asked a question, and 

 the pupil answered it if he could ; if he could not, it went to the 

 next ; and so the thing went on from day to day. But here we 

 have these young gentlemen coming forward, each with his topic 

 assigned, wliich he takes up, illustrates, discusses. We liave had 

 it abundantly demonstrated he»c tliis afternoon that they under- 

 stand what they are studying ; it is not a routine business with 



