BEST IN THE COIINTRY. 89 



them down. Now, if rain comes gently, like the dew, it 

 does not wash the manure, but saturates it, and it will all 

 go into the land where it lies, even if it is a side-hill ; but, 

 if you have such a rain as we had yesterday and last night, 

 it will take it off of places even on level ground. There is 

 no ground so level but there will be gullies in it ; and if such 

 a rain as we had yesterday comes, and there is nothing to 

 prevent, it will carry it into the streams, and it will be lost. 

 We cannot guard against such losses ; but we must exercise the 

 best judgment we have, and apply our manure at such time 

 as suits our convenience, unless the ground is too steep, so 

 that there is every reason to believe that a heavy rain will 

 take it off, in which case, it would not be wise to j)ut it on 

 in winter. But my experience is, that you can top-dress at 

 any time without danger of severe loss; and you need not 

 fear to put it on at such times as you can do it economically, 

 lest you should lose it, either by evaporation or leaching. 



Adjourned to evening. 



Evening Session. 



The evening session was called to order at half-past seven 

 o'clock by Mr. Hersey, who, on introducing the lecturer of 

 the evening, said, — 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — It is well known abroad, if 

 not at home, that Massachusetts has one of the best agri- 

 cultural colleges in the country. This is known in foreign 

 lands. The Government of Japan understand it; and 

 several years ago they sent here, and secured the services 

 of the president of that college to go there and found a 

 similar institution in that country. It was while there, in 

 the performance of that 'duty, that he became acquainted 

 with the agriculture of Japjan. He has very kindly con- 

 sented to appear before us to-night, and , speak on that sub- 

 ject. I have now the great pleasure of introducing to you 

 Col. William S. Clark, president of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege of this State. 



12 



