148 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Dr. John C. Bartlett, of Chelmsford, donated a very ancient pair 

 of homes, of rude workmanship. 



Mr. William M. Taylor presented a patent Tree-protector, intended 

 to prevent the attacks of the canker worm and similar insects. 



And a model of Cahoon's patent Broadcast Seed Sower was also 

 received from the inventor. 



The Aquarium. — The Hon. John Brooks, of Princeton, has pre- 

 sented to, the office an elegant aquarium, of a capacity of one hundred 

 and ninety-two gallons, so arranged as to exhibit both fresh and salt 

 water specimens, or moving " life beneath the waters." 



Captain Thomas Glass, of Swampscott, presented several of the 

 most beautiful actiniae ever seen in Boston. These were brought up 

 from the bottom in thirty or forty fathoms of water, and for several weeks 

 formed the most attractive feature in the tank. 



Acknowledgments are also due to Messrs. "Warren Atkins, John P. 

 Thomas, James Bunten, William Story, George Thomas, 

 Chandler Lewis, John Thomas, and others, of Swampscott, for fine 

 specimens of spider crabs, star fishes, actinia;, &c. 



Similar contributions of rare and valuable specimens in all the depart- 

 ments, illustrating the natural history of the State, are earnestly solicited. 



I am happy to be able to state, in conclusion, that the farming 

 interest of the Commonwealth has, on the whole, experienced, 

 during the past year, an ordinary degree of prosperity, notwith- 

 standing the fact that for some of the staple crops, the season 

 was by no means propitious. Enterprise and capital applied to 

 farming have, in some localities, largely increased, and it is 

 apparent that greater attention is hereafter to be paid to farm 

 industry of various kinds, to sheep husbandry, and to the 

 improvement of other stock. 



There is, however, with our abundant reasons of congratu- 

 lation, one subject of deep regret and alarm which is of too 

 serious a character to be passed over without special mention. 

 I refer to the introduction and appearance in our midst of a 

 contagious or infectious disease among neat stock, which, from 

 its well-known symptoms, can leave little room for doubt, is 

 the genuine plcuro-pnciimonia, one of the greatest scourges 

 which could possibly fall upon the farming community. The 

 extent of this calamity, if the disease is allowed to spread and 

 gain a firm foothold in this country, can hardly be imagined 



