368 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



On motion of Mr. Hadwen, it was, 



Voted, That an executive committee of five be appointed 

 with full power to consult and advise with the Committee on 

 Agriculture of the Legislature, and with the Secretary of the 

 Board, in regard to any unfinished or new business that may 

 present itself, — Messrs. Wilder, Hadwen, Ware, Hersey, 

 and Moore. 



The Board then adjourned. 



The operations of the Board, as will be seen by the fore- 

 going pages, have been continued as usual during the past 

 year. The societies have, for the most part, worked in har- 

 mony, and cheerfully complied with the request to hold 

 farmers' institutes, or gatherings of people, to discuss the 

 details of their work, and to consult for their mutual inter- 

 ests ; and they have been aided in most cases by the pres- 

 ence and participation of the members of the Board. 



It is believed that the influence of the societies will be 

 more direct, and more effective for good, by the frequent 

 association of its members and the enthusiasm that may be 

 awakened by the frequent interchange of thought, than by 

 the mere fact of holding an annual show. With its public 

 exhibitions of stock, its collections of farm-implements, 

 fruits, and farm-products of every description, a society has 

 it in its power to accomplish a good work, and to advance 

 the great interests of agriculture by the diffusion of intelli- 

 gence among its members and the visitors to its fairs. It 

 brings men together, — men engaged in the same pursuits, 

 and eager to learn the best methods, and to adopt the latest 

 improvements and the best appliances. It illustrates to some 

 extent the advantages of associated effort; but its annual fair 

 imparts instruction chiefly through the eye and by furnish- 

 ing the means of observation and comparison. It does not 

 appeal so directly nor so forcibly to the mind as the frequent 

 living words spoken at the farmers' institute. However 

 good the influence of a society may already be, it is believed 

 that frequent gatherings for lectures and discussions will 

 extend it to larger numbers of people, and so have the effect 

 to increase the intelligence and elevate the thought of the 

 farming community. 



