18 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD 



AT SOUTHBOROUGH. 



The country meeting of the Board was held at the town- 

 hall, in Southborough, Nov. 30, and Dec. 1 and 2. 



The meeting was called to order at half-past two o'clock 

 P.M. by Capt. John B. ]Mooke of Concord, who said, — 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — It becomes my duty, as 

 chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, to call this 

 meeting to order ; and, without occupying much time, I 

 would say to you, that the meeting was appointed to be held 

 here in the town of Southborough, partly because it is the 

 centre of an excellent farming population, and partly on the 

 invitation of the Southborough people, and particularly of 

 the Southborough Farmers' Club, — a live organization. 

 Without saying more, I will introduce to you Dr. Joseph 

 Burnett, president of the Southborough Farmers' Club. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



BY MR. JOSEPH BURNETT. 



Mr. Chairman, and Gentlemen of the State Board 

 OF Agriculture, — A year ago, when you accepted the 

 invitation of the Southborough Farmers' Club to hold this 

 meeting here, I had not the honor of representing that club. 

 Had I, at that time, been its chief executive officer, I should 

 hardly have ventured to invite so large and important a 

 body of representative men to a toAvn so small, and having 

 such inadequate means of entertainment. 



I have no doubt the invitation was urgently given, and 

 kindly accepted ; and now, in behalf of the Southborough 

 Farmers' Club, I bid you a hearty welcome, and, with the 

 aid of the good people of this town, we will do what we can 

 to make your short stay here comfortable. 



By referring to your yearly reports, I find that heretofore, 

 at your annual country meetings, your Board has been 

 received by the resident member ; and I cannot help feeling 

 that I am somewhat out of place, and that the words of 

 welcome should have been spoken by either Mr. Bowditch, 

 representing the State, or Mr. Damon, representing the 



