90 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



upon nearly every farm in the State, and that, too, in more 

 ways than one. It can justly challenge comparison with the 

 work of an}' other similar institution in the country, both in 

 its contributions to science and to the methods and results of 

 intelligent practice. 



But these investigations, as already intimated, are second- 

 ary, and subordinate to the chief object of the institution, — 

 the education of young men for the practical pursuits of life. 

 That the College has fulfilled its mission in this direction is 

 sufficiently evident from the reports of the Examining Com- 

 mittee of the State Board of Agriculture.. In its capacity as 

 a Board of Overseers of the College, it has, for several years, 

 appointed a committee to examine into the condition and 

 working of the institution, and especially to examine the 

 graduating classes from year to year, and to report upon their 

 proficiency. These reports have appeared in the reports of 

 the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, where they 

 are accessible to the public. 



It will not be out of place, for obvious reasons, to present, 

 as briefly as possible, the opinions of experts who not only 

 had abundant opportunity, but whose special duty it was, 

 to investigate all departments of the College, and pass judg- 

 ment upon them. The Examining Committee of the past 

 year, Dr. James R. Nichols of Haverhill, editor of " The 

 Journal of Chemistry," chairman, submitted a report, from 

 which the following is an extract : " The duty assigned to 

 me the present year, of visiting the Agricultural College at 

 Amherst, and conducting the examination of the senior class, 

 was pleasant, and also encouraging as regards the usefulness 

 of the institution. The College has labored under some 

 peculiar difficulties and discouragements in the present and 

 past years, owing to the want of means to carry forward the 

 work of the institution as planned by its officers. The grad- 

 uating class was found to be small, numbering only seven ; 

 but their appearance and acquirements were certainly very 

 creditable. 



" The examination was conducted with the view of obtaining 

 as clear an insight into the results of the practical workings 

 of the College as possible ; and every facility was afforded 

 by Professor Stockbridge and others that could be desired. 

 For a period of nearly or quite three hours the young men 



