144 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



lature, to enable them to give that spring to agricul 

 tural experiments which is the soul of all exertion." 



During the same year the trustees voted to have 

 the following entered upon the records: 



Voted, as the opinion of the board of trustees, that 

 the introduction of trials of speed between horses, and 

 awarding premiums therefor, is a perversion of the 

 objects originally contemplated in the establishment 

 of agricultural shows; that the effect has been to with- 

 draw attention from the exhibition of stock and other 

 farm products, and to discourage their being brought 

 to the shows for competition. 



Voted, that this board will entertain no application 

 for aid or countenance, in any form, to any agricul- 

 tural show where trials of speed between horses are 

 allowed, or where the greatest speed is made the test 

 of superiority in awarding any premium on horses. 



The society has ever since continued the policy as 

 stated in the foregoing vote. 



In March, 1860, the trustees appointed a commit- 

 tee, consisting of George B. Loring, Richard S. Fay 

 and Peter C. Brooks, Jr., to appear before any com- 

 mittee appointed by the Legislature to consider the 

 prevalent contagious, fatal disease among neat cattle, 

 known as pleuro pneumonia, and to advocate efficient 

 preventive legislation. The board also voted to 

 appropriate $2,000 as a guaranty fund to aid in ex- 

 tirpating the disease. On Sept. 12, 1861, the trustees 

 adopted the following: 



Voted, that the secretary of the State Board of 

 Agriculture be informed, with a request that he will 

 inform also the Executive, that, in consideration of the 



