EXHIBITION AT WALTHAM. 345 



terms as possible his manner of cultivating the articles he 

 exhibits. 



An American turban squash was shown at Waltham : it 

 was an excellent sample of a crop of ten tons. The exhibit- 

 or very clearly and intelligently described to me his method 

 of cultivation : would not that statement be of value to the 

 farmers of the State ? 



To show the value of such statements, alk)W me to call 

 your attention to the fact, that, in 1873, Dr. Fisher presented 

 at the annual country meeting his plan of growing grapes ; 

 whether the best plan or not, I will not decide: but at 

 Waltham he produced, as the result of that system, several 

 plates of as nearly perfect grapes as are to be seen. The 

 clusters were heavy, and the fruit large and uniform in size, 

 of velvety-purple color, and of excellent flavor, proving, so 

 far as possible, the success of his method as it was presented 

 to the Board. 



Stephen Shepley. 



The Report was accepted. 



Mr. Bagg, from the Committee on Farmers' Institutes, 

 submitted the following paper, prepared by Mr. Hebkon 

 Vincent, on — 



FARMEES' INSTITUTES. 



Although not one of the Committee on the subject of 

 Farmers' Institutes, I desire to present some facts and views 

 upon the subject. 



It will be recollected by the secretary (and perhaps by 

 some of the older members), that I had the honor, while 

 not yet a member of the Board, of having a hearing upon 

 the subject, through a communication addressed to him, sug- 

 gesting somewhat in detail the outlines of a plan for the 

 holding of such institutes, with the various societies repre- 

 sented here. That communication was laid before the Board 

 at its Annual Meeting in 1870, and, after some discussion and 

 other action, was referred to a committee to consider, and 

 to report to the Board at its next Annual Meeting. Accord- 

 ingly, that committee reported a resolution, which was adopt- 

 ed, as follows : " That the various agricultural societies of 



41 



