RELATION OF THE STATE BOARD OF 

 AGRICULTURE TO THE MASSACHU- 

 SETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 1 



Many centuries ago the Apostle Peter, writing to his 

 followers, said: "I stir up your pure minds by way of re- 

 membrance"; and centuries before the Apostle Peter lived 

 it had been written: "Remember the days of old; ask thy 

 father and he will show thee; thy elders and they will tell 

 thee." It is fitting, therefore, that at the close of this first 

 half -century of its existence the Board of Agriculture should 

 hold its day of remembrance, and, calling upon its father 

 to show them and its elders to tell them, should gather up 

 the memories of the past and transmit them to their child- 

 ren to hold and guard forever. My mission, then, to-day 

 is to stir up your pure minds by recalling to your remem- 

 brance the relation of this Board to agricultural education, 

 and more particularly to its college of agriculture. Thirty- 

 nine years, counting from the charter of this College, is the 

 measure of its span, and each year has brought with it some 

 expression of the Board's thoughtful care. Even before its 

 establishment as a Board we find the trustees of the Norfolk 

 Agricultural Society voting that its "president and secre- 

 taries be a committee to mature and adopt a plan for a 

 convention of delegates from the various agricultural socie- 

 ties of the Commonwealth, to be holden at some convenient 

 time and place, the object of which shall be to concert 



1 Address delivered at the fiftieth anniversary meeting of the Massa- 

 chusetts State Board of Agriculture, at Boston, July 22, 1902. 



