6 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the direction of the State Board of Agriculture, to ascertain 

 the changes which take place in the soils of reclaimed marshes, 

 with the hope of rendering efficient aid to those who have 

 undertaken this great public work. These investigations, 

 though not yet completed, were partially developed in my 

 last Annual Report, and a continuation of the able paper then 

 presented will be found on a subsequent page of this Report. 



The results of this enterprise are already apparent, in the 

 increased interest in similar undertakings at various points 

 upon our coast, and the time will undoubtedly come when 

 many broad acres will be added to the productive area of the 

 Commonwealth. 



The operations of the Board have been continued as hereto- 

 fore, and they will be fully presented in the following pages. 

 The plan of holding public meetings every year in various 

 parts of the State, has commended itself to popular favor, and 

 the meetings have been largely attended by intelligent and 

 appreciative audiences. The country meeting, this year, was 

 held in the city of Haverhill. 



PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD, 



At HAVERHILL. 



The usual country meeting of the Board was held at 

 Tilton's Hall, in Haverhill, on the 30th of November and the 

 first and second days of December. The meeting was called 

 to order on Tuesday, November 30, by Hon. George B. 



LORING. 



OPENING REMARKS OF DR. LORING. 



Geyiflemen of the State Board of Agriculture: — As the 

 delegate from the Essex County Agricultural Society to the 

 Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, it becomes my duty to 

 call this meeting to order, having been selected as chairman 

 of th(^ committee on organization, on account of my official 

 position in this section of the State. This is the twelfth 

 meeting which the Board has held for the purpose of compar- 

 ing notes, and of discussing the practical questions which 

 come naturally and always before the agricultural meetings 



