STATE CABINET. 353 



operation in the town of Amherst, is better entitled to receive 

 it than any other institution. It will no doubt be more fully 

 appreciated there than it would be if merged in a vast miscel- 

 laneous collection, from the fact that it is, what its name 

 implies, a State Cabinet. 



A similar collection will be needed by the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural College, and many years of labor would be required, to 

 say nothing of the expense to be incurred, to build up such 

 an one as the State Board has established at its office ; for 

 though it is not pretended that it is complete and perfect, it is 

 not too much to say that it forms an admirable nucleus of a Cab- 

 inet which will be alike honorable to the Commonwealth and to 

 the College. 



The present prospect of the Agricultural College is promising 

 and satisfactory. The current year will, no doubt, witness the 

 construction of the buildings and the opening of the college to 

 students. The liberality of public-spirited individuals has 

 already been extended to the institution, and it is hoped that 

 other donations will be made to establish it on a permanent and 

 solid foundation, and to' enlarge the various departments of 

 instruction, beyond the limits which the present available funds 

 permit. 



The Annual Report of the Trustees of the College will be 

 found in the Appendix of the second part of this Report, and 

 reference' is respectfully made to that for more complete infor- 

 mation as to the plan of instruction contemplated by the 

 government. 



The year that has closed, the agricultural operations of which 

 I have the honor to lay before you, has not been an eventful one 

 to the farming interests of our country, or especially to this 

 section of it. The charm of agricultural life is its stability and 

 freedom from excitement or fluctuation. 



The mysterious wire that during the past year has been made 

 to connect in intelligence two continents, may flash across the 

 information of disastrous battles, or of great events that lead the 

 merchant or the statesman to shape their courses to meet new 

 and unforseen contingencies, but the farmer quietly and steadily 

 pursues and follows up his well matured plans, and in due time 

 is pretty sure to enjoy in quiet the fruits of his labors. 



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