454 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



potato loses "mealiness," and gains in "waxincss" of texture and 

 sweetness of taste ? This is entirely due to the beginning of the 

 chemical change in its constituents referred to. How much potato 

 starch one can economically give, to be thus converted into nursery 

 pap for the young plants, is one of those problems of practice so 

 frequently arising in the farmer's path, which must be variably 

 answered, according to circumstances. You can afford more when 

 potatoes bring half a dollar, than when they command a dollar a 

 bushel. 



But when I look over the results of that very elaborate and 

 extensive series of experiments conducted by Mr. George Maw, 

 and republished in our report for last year, and find them pointing 

 with such uniformity and emphasis in one direction, and when I 

 find that these results are precisely what analogy teaches us to 

 expect, I can hardly more doubt the usefulness of the tuber as a 

 nurse to the young plant, than 1 can doubt regarding a mathemati- 

 cal certainty. It "stands to reason," as we say, that a well nursed 

 infant is more likely to thrive than one whose needs are only par- 

 tially supplied ; and the same is equally true of a young potato 

 plant. 



The debate here terminated, and Hon. James Dunning, of Bangor, 

 moved a vote of thanks to the Board of Agriculture. 



Col. Henry Littlk, of Bangor, Before putting the question on 

 the motion, I desire to say that I have been very much interested 

 in these discussions, and although eighty-one years old, I have got 

 some new ideas. I recollect well how we lived and what imple- 

 ments we used, seventy years ago and upwards. They were very 

 rude. The shovels were of wood, lined with a little iron. The 

 scythes were hammered out by the blacksmith. The hay forks and 

 the scythe snaths were cut in the woods ; and everything else was 

 of a similar character. I recollect too, when tlicrc was not a 

 grafted orchard much nearer than Boston. There were then no horti- 

 cultural or agricultural societies. How different it is now 1 I see 

 great advances made even within the limited period of twelve 

 years, which have elapsed since I had the honor of being a mem- 

 ber of this Board. I thank the Lord that I have lived to see these 

 improvements. 



The question was then put on the motion for a vote of thanks to 

 the Board, and it was carried. 



The President of the Board, Mr. Wasson, then made the closing 

 remarks, as follows : 



