138 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. Hyde. I am sorry that any gentleman has Found it 

 necessary to take up three-quarters of an hour in explaining 

 his position upon the question of the use of fodder corn. I 

 think we have heard enough about this matter of fodder corn, 

 especially when we have another subject assigned in the pro- 

 gramme, in which we all have an interest. I do not object to 

 the entertainment which the doctor has furnished ; some parts 

 of it were very amusing, and amusement is sometimes necessary 

 and useful, but I am of opinion that we ought to discuss this 

 question of market gardening. It seems to me that no more 

 important question could be discussed at a meeting like this. 

 It certainly ought to be a subject of interest to this city, if it is 

 not to any other part of the State, but I think it is interesting 

 to all our cities, and the neighborhoods about cities. I do not 

 blame you Mr. Chairman, — you could not very well help your- 

 self that the discussion took this direction, — but I regret that it 

 has. 



I do not wish to take up much of your time on this question ; 

 I was in hopes to hear from my friend, Mr. Moore, and others 

 who are practical men, and who are raising vegetables for the 

 market ; but while up I will say a very few words. 



You are aware, as every one is, that within the last few years 

 the standard of market gardening has advanced about our 

 cities, especially about Boston, and I believe from my obser- 

 vation in the principal large cities in the northern part of the 

 United States, that there is no market so well supplied with 

 good vegetables as the Boston market, and I believe I might go 

 further and say that in certain things it is unsurpassed on this 

 continent ; among these are cauliflower, lettuce and celery, and 

 I might add, strawberries, but these come more properly under 

 the head of Fruit Culture. I say the standard has been greatly 

 elevated. How ? Through the instrumentality of horticultural 

 and agricultural exhibitions. I can remember that only a few 

 years ago a great many vegetables were brought to our Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Exhibition, that we were ashamed to 

 have exhibited ; still it was hard to refuse contributors who had 

 taken the trouble to bring them in, perhaps some distance ; but 

 finally the committee said " No, we must raise the standard ; 

 our room is limited, and we must have none but the best." 

 The result is, that we now have exhibitions such as I have 



