16 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



In this town a farmers' club was founded in 1856, which 

 has continued its organization to this day, its members ear- 

 nestly assisting at this meeting. Farmers' clubs have been 

 established in other towns and school districts, many of 

 which have been useful, and will renew their organizations 

 as the winter advances. The members of these societies and 

 these clubs are the men who now welcome you here to-day, 

 and who show to you, by thfeir presence and attention, that 

 they appreciate the efforts of this Board to improve and ele- 

 vate the character of our agriculture, which is our common 

 object. 



It is foolish to write or speak of the glories or the beauties 

 of a farmer's occupation. It is to a considerable extent inde- 

 pendent; it is eminently respectable, and absolutely neces- 

 sary : but it is not beautiful, it is not easy, nor very profita- 

 ble ; but, as we and all live by it, we seek to better and to 

 lighten it. A thousand years before the Christian era, the 

 wisest Pagan philosopher said, " He who sows the ground 

 with care and diligence acquires a stock of religious merit 

 greater than he could gain by the repetition of ten thousand 

 prayers." 



The meeting then adjourned until two o'clock. 



Afternoon Session. 



At two o'clock, the meeting was again called to order by 

 Mr. Grinnell, who introduced as the first speaker John 

 M. Smith, Esq., of Sunderland. 



THE HUSBANDRY AND COMMERCE OP NEAT-STOCK AND 



ITS PRODUCTS. 



BY JOHN M. SMITH. 



It is but a short time, a few years, since our New-Eng- 

 land farms in their state of virgin richness bore abundant 

 crops, and the agriculture of the east was self-supporting. 

 We raised our own corn, wheat, and beef; from our own 

 productions were manufactured our clothing: in fact, every 

 commodity necessary for our use was grown at home. It is 

 within the memory of many still living in this county, when 

 to buy wheat-flour was a thing unknown, except it may be a 



