242 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



in previous geologic ages from a small, weak, and awkward animal ; 

 how that growing in size, and strength, and fleetness, and beauty, 

 the developed horse was on the planet ready for man when he 

 came, I have tried to show how man has taken this and mod- 

 eled it into something even better and higher ; the trotter being 

 the latest and best. 



The horse of old was the horse of the warrior, and was bred for 

 the battle-field or for ceremony, and his use and possession was for 

 the wealthy. The trotter originated among the masses so soon as 

 the masses were free ; he developed for use as well as luxury, the 

 horse for both business and pleasure, the horse alike for the bustle 

 of the busy slreets and for the quiet family carriage. The horse of 

 old was the horse of war and of waste ; the trotter is the horse of 

 peace and of thrift, the highest equine product of the modern 

 highly developed Christian civilization. 



The Chairman stated that an invitation had been received 

 from the Second Congregational Church of Rockville to hold 

 the closing session of the Convention in that church, and on 

 motion of Mr. Webb, seconded by Dr. Riggs, the invitation 

 was unanimously accepted. 



Mr. Gold. I find tliis question in the Question Box : Can 

 spent shell lime, used in gas works, be purified and made 

 valuable as a fertilizer, and if so, how ? 



Mr. Augur. I would give my experience, though I cannot 

 give an affirmative answer. Some years ago, I used a num- 

 ber of bushels of gas-lime, but before using it I let it lie a 

 year or two, thinking that by doing so I would get rid of the 

 acrid properties. I did not see any benefit from it, and where 

 that heap lay (which was on a piece of ground where we 

 have strawberries), although it was several years ago, straw- 

 berries utterly fail to grow, though doing remarkably well 

 everywhere else. I consider that the use of that lime was 

 an actual damage to me. 



Dr. Riggs, I had a friend in Hartford who used gas-lime 

 from the gas works, and it played the mischief with his corn. 

 He put it on some three or four acres, and got nothing from 

 it. It ruined the piece. 



