FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 347 



tively small, and fully justified by the good to be accom- 

 plished. 



The vote of the Board upon the subject, while it was a 

 step in the right du'ection, did not make the holding of such 

 meetings obligatory; and, while I am not advised as to the 

 extent to which the recommendation has been followed, I 

 infer from what I have heard, that, where any attempt has 

 been made, the meetings have been of rather short duration, 

 and with few, if any, lectures. 



In conversation with the secretary, I think within a year 

 or two last past, upon the subject of making these gatherings 

 more systematic and eifective, according to the plan origi- 

 nally suggested, he named a serious obstacle, which was the 

 lack of suitable men in sufficient numbers, who could give 

 up their time to the work without compensation. Scientific 

 men could not work for nothing, and we have no fund to pay 

 with. Now, with all due deference to one so well qualified 

 to judge, it seems to me, that, with the time he could devote 

 to such a department of useful labor, we have a pretty strong 

 force, consisting of many members and ex-members of this 

 Board, wh(5 are eminently qualified to render just the service 

 needed. In addition to these, there are the president and 

 professors of the Agricultural College, who must be ever 

 fresh for such a duty, and that without increasing the num- 

 ber of the latter, as recommended quite recently in an ad- 

 dress by ex-Gov. Boutwell, to supply the specific work which 

 he contemplated. Then there are men of mark in other 

 colleges of the State, and in other callings, — clergymen, 

 doctors, lawyers, and many of the men in public offices. 



As to the expense, all local expenses would, of course, be 

 met by the societies ; and as to pay for lectures, — as the 

 number would in each case be small, and the charges, doubt- 

 less, moderate, — the amount could not be such as to trench 

 upon any other interest, certainly not on that of the Agricul- 

 tural College ; the fear of which, I have supposed, may have 

 raised an objection in the minds of some. On the other hand, 

 I apprehend all these interests would tend to strengthen each 

 other. 



In conclusion : while the Countrj^ Meeting of the Board 

 does a good work, and the Farmers' Clubs, wliere meetings 

 of the same are held, are doubtless useful, neither the former 



