SECRETARY'S REPORT. 31 



stantly exists a liability to new developments which it would be 

 well to provide for so far as practicable. 



Mr. G. alluded also to the barbarous practices in vogue with 

 ignorant pretenders to farriery, such as boring the horns of cattle 

 and forcing medicines into them, &c., &c., and which would be 

 banished at once when more intelligence on the subject shall pre- 

 vail ; he thought the promulgation of our needs in this regard 

 might possibly result in bringing a veterinary surgeon to reside 

 among us. 



The Veterinary College of Edinburgh began in a very small way 

 not long ago. Dr. Dick and one other professor at first lectured 

 a whole term to a class of one, but now the college was one of the 

 most flourishing institutions of Europe. 



The report was then adopted. 



Mr. Norton, for the committee on appointment of visitors to the 

 various agricultural shows (the sixth topic) read the following 

 report : 



" The committee charged to consider whether it be advisable for 

 this Board to appoint visitors to the various county agricultural 

 exhibitions, beg leave to report, that, in their opinion, this meas- 

 ure would accomplish great good. We might expect from such 

 visits reports which would be of greater value than would be fur- 

 nished by one residing in the immediate vicinity. They might be 

 more accurate, if not more impartial ; for, as is well known, we 

 do not always see ourselves as others see us, and there is good 

 authority for saying that it is unwise to judge ourselves by our- 

 selves or compare ourselves among ourselves. It seems very prob- 

 able that the attention of a stranger would be arrested by many 

 matters, novel to him but not to residents in the immediate vicin- 

 ity, and which might not be thought worthy of mention by the 

 latter, while in fact it might be of great advantage for others to 

 know and imitate ; or the stranger visitor might be able to give 

 hints for improvement regarding what he sees, whether as to meth- 

 ods of treatment in animals or of culture in the production of the 

 vegetable or crops shown, or as to methods of conducting the 

 exhibition itself. He might obtain valuable information on many 

 points, to carry home for the benefit of his own society. 



Anything which brings farmers more together, so they can profit 

 by each other's experience and compare methods and results, is 

 highly beneficial and worthy of encouragement, and almost sure to 

 secure some advantage. 



