SECRETARY'S REPORT. 9 



delegates chosen by the county agricultural societies, forms a 

 pretty complete representation of the intelligent farmers in all 

 parts of the Commonwealth. The committees appointed for 

 the more immediate supervision of the farm have the benefit of 

 the suggestions of the whole Board, whose duty it is to give 

 their personal attention from time to time to the inspection of 

 the crops, and an examination into the general system of man- 

 agement. 



Accurate accounts are kept between the institution and the 

 Board ; the former being charged with all the products of the 

 farm, labor, teaming, &c., and credited with the labor of the 

 boys, in order to show the expenses or profits of each depart- 

 ment ; though it is obvious that so far as the actual expense to 

 the State is concerned, it can make no difference on which side 

 the balance stands, as the loss must, in the end, ])e borne by the 

 State ; both Boards being, as it were, children of the State. 

 In fact, the arrangement is beneficial to the State in a financial 

 point of view, since each department forms, to some extent, 

 a check on the other, and each strives, so far as the two come 

 in comparison with each other, to make its expenses as low as 

 is consistent with true economy. 



At a meeting of the Board held at the farm at Westborough, 

 on the 4th April, 1855, at which were present His Excellency 

 Gov. Gardner, His Honor Simon Brown, and Messrs. Brewer, 

 Chandler, Clapp, French, Hubbard, Lewis, Newell, Page, 

 Sprague, Tower, Wilder, Wilkinson and Wood, it was unani- 

 mously resolved. That it is the prime object of the Board of 

 Agriculture, in the management of the farm at Westborough, to 

 second the benevolent efforts of the founder of the State Reform 

 School, and that the constant and moderate employment of 

 the boys in the open air, to an extent as great as is practicable, 

 is equally the desire of the Board of Agriculture as of the 

 Trustees of that institution. 



A committee was accordingly appointed to confer with the 

 Trustees on the subject, with power to make such arrangements 

 in the premises as might be mutually satisfactory. This com- 

 mittee, consisting of Messrs. S})rague, Brown and Clapp, having 

 attended to its duty, submitted the following Special Agree- 

 ment : — 



