266 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



earthly mission. Only one of the original members (he who 

 now addresses you) and Mr. Secretary Flint are now con- 

 nected with the Board. Nearly all the rest of the twenty 

 original members constituting the Board have passed away. 

 If any think I have spoken too favorably of the Board, or 

 what it has accomplished in the first twenty-five years of its 

 existence, let them compare the condition of agriculture at the 

 time of its organization with the subsequent improvement, in 

 well-defined and systematic knowledge, of the present day. 



When we consider the embarrassments which most institu- 

 tions have to labor under in their early history, I think we 

 may regard the operations of the Board as reasonably suc- 

 cessful. Our movements are in the right direction ; and in 

 the future as in the past, time will greatly promote the pros- 

 perity and wealth of the State. 



For myself, I desire to be thankful that I have been per- 

 mitted to witness the progress already made by the Board. 

 Soon all of those who were banded together at its organiza- 

 tion will have ceased from their labors on earth ; but I rejoice 

 that I have lived to see the doubts and opposition of that day 

 pass away, and the Board receive, as it does, the public favor 

 and the fostering care of the government. But we cannot 

 stop here. Much has been accomplished ; but greater results 

 are to be attained. "We have but just entered the field which 

 Massachusetts is to occupy in the successful cultivation of 

 her lands ; and we confidently believe the time may not be 

 distant, when science shall have improved the arts of cultiva- 

 tion to its utmost extent, and we shall better understand the 

 laws which govern it ; when, by a better knowledge of the 

 constituents and capacities of our lands, a proper division 

 of labor, a wise selection of crops and the constituents for 

 fertilizing them, we may be enabled to compete favorably 

 with the richer lands of the West. 



This review of our work should be satisfactory. Much of 

 our progress is the result of individual exertion ; but, after all, 

 the grand motive-power is associated effort. Let us, then, 

 take fresh courage, and work right onward for the advance- 

 ment of our cause, thus receiving and disseminating infor- 

 mation for the benefit of all. And as you come up, from 

 year to year, from all parts of our Commonwealth, with the 

 results of your observation and experience, may you have 



