62 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Afternoon Session. 



Mr. Lane in the chair. 



On calling the meeting to order in the afternoon, the Chair- 

 man introduced his Excellency Gov. Long, president, ex 

 officio, of the Board, who congratulated the Board and the 

 people of Bridgewater on the success of the meeting. 



The Chairman. It has been suggested to me that the 

 Governor recommend the establishment of an experiment 

 station at Amherst College. 



Gov. Long. I cordially concur in that. I recommended 

 something of the kind last year. I believe an experiment 

 station would be very valuable in connection with agricul- 

 ture, just exactly as the United States has, in connection 

 with fish-culture, a valuable experimental station. 



The Chairman then put the question to the meeting, 

 whether they would request his Excellency to recommend, 

 in his message to the Legislature, the establishment of an 

 experiment station at Amherst College ; and there was a 

 unanimous vote in the affirmative. 



The Chairman. The first lecture this afternoon will be 

 upon " Fruit-Growing," by Mr. Avery P. Slade of Som- 

 erset. 



FRUIT-GROWING. 



BY MR. AVERY P. SLADE. 



The subject of fruit-culture has been so often discussed 

 by this Board, that its introduction at this time may be 

 regarded by some inappropriate. 



But to those who are engaged in the business (and I see 

 many around me who are) it is always interesting. The 

 limited time allotted for this discussion will not allow me to 

 go into the minutiae of growing fruit, even were I competent 

 to do so. I therefore propose to speak of the strawberry 

 and the apple briefly ; confining my remarks principally to 

 some of the obstacles which lie in the way of their success- 

 ful cultivation, and to suggest such remedies as experience 

 assures us are the most effectual. 



