6 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



time and care, and tliat the farm not unfrequently interfered 

 with the performance of duties more immediately connected 

 with the school. 



In the meantime, the Board of Agriculture, a body so con- 

 stituted as to represent fairly every class of agricultural 

 knowledge in the State, were desirous of doing something by 

 way of experiment, to advance the cause of practical agricul- 

 ture. Finding the Trustees also desirous of being relieved of 

 the care and responsibility of the farm under their charge, they 

 resolved, after careful consideration, to petition the Legislature, 

 in conjunction with the Trustees, for an Act authorizing the 

 transfer of the farm into their hands. The committee of the 

 Legislature to whom this petition was referred, made a report 

 in which they stated that " The Board of Agriculture would be 

 gratified to secure land upon which various modes of cultiva- 

 tion may be thoroughly tried and a series of experiments insti- 

 tuted to test the value of the various concentrated and other 

 manures, which are so constantly urged upon the attention of 

 farmers. Your committee are of opinion that the interest and 

 the wishes of farmers as a body, require that such experiments 

 should be made and reliable results ascertained. The farm at 

 Westborough is admirably adapted for the purpose. 



" The Trustees of the State Reform School and the State 

 Board of Agriculture are both children and agents of the 

 State ; both Boards were instituted and both labor for the same 

 end, the good of the State. The only question is, which Board 

 can mo^t conveniently and profitably have charge of a particular 

 portion of State property. Heretofore, the farm has been im- 

 proved and cultivated at the expense of the State, and the 

 State has furnished consumers of all its products, with the 

 exception of small quantities of fruit, &c., which have been sent 

 to market. A much larger amount of agricultural products 

 will be required for the establishment, and it is believed that, 

 under the best management, a much larger amount may be 

 produced without proportionate increase of expense. Further 

 permanent improvements are required, and ought to be made, 

 under either Board. As the State consumes all the products of 

 the farm, no money can be realized from their sale, and conse- 

 quently the State must furnish funds to make necessary im- 

 provements and pay current expenses. The members of the 



