ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 21 



I had hoped that President Wilder, whose fame as an 

 aoriculturist and horticulturist is as wide as the world, who 

 labored so earnestly and so successfully to organize and 

 build up the State Board of Agriculture, would have been 

 present in person to receive our congratulations and our 

 thanks. 



It may be interesting to you to know that Southborough 

 was among the first of the towns in this State to recognize 

 the importance of breeding thorough-bred cattle. As early as 

 1854 a herd of imported Jerseys, consisting of three cows 

 and a bull, was brought into this town ; and from that small 

 herd, together with a later importation in 1864, there has 

 gone forth into all parts of the country choice specimens of 

 that approved and popular breed. 



In the year 1857 the late lamented Henry H. Peters 

 imported a large and valuable herd of Ayrshires, which, 

 under his skilful care and breeding, became one of the most 

 noted herds in this country. Many of you will remember 

 his great sale by auction, where single animals brought from 

 four hundred to five hundred dollars, the total amounting to 

 upwards of ten thousand dollars. From 1859 to 1863 Mr. 

 Peters was a member of your Board, representing the J\Iid- 

 dlesex South Society. In 1859 he was the founder and first 

 president of the Southborough Farmerj' Club ; and the old 

 members of the club know how earnestly he labored to make 

 it a useful institution. And here I wish to say, that to the 

 enterprise, public spirit, and generosity of Mr. Peters, this 

 town is greatly indebted. He returned from California to 

 Boston in 1855, with ample means, and with a strong desire 

 to be a farmer ; he came to Southborough, and bought a 

 splendid farm, well known as the Peter Fay Farm. He 

 began at once to make improvements : he thorough-drained 

 his wet lands, he ploughed deep, he enriched his soil judi- 

 ciously, he planted trees, and he tried many experiments 

 ■which the ordinary farmer could not afford to try. He 

 reaped his reward in abundant harvests, and in the benefits 

 which he conferred on his fellow-men. He was also deeply 

 interested in the subject of education. The fine building in 

 3^onder valley, now occupied by the Peters High School, was 

 a gift from him to the town, and stands a silent witness of 

 his munificence. He not only worked early and late to carry 



