BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME BY JOHN H. DILLON, BOSTON 

 PARK COMMISSIONER. 



Mr. Chairman, the Executive of our State Agricultural 

 Board and Ladies and Gentlemen: It is certainly a pleasure 

 for me to come here this beautiful winter morning and bid 

 you a hearty welcome to our city on behalf of his honor the 

 mayor. In talking with the chairman of your meeting, it 

 brought back to my mind the days of my boyhood. I re- 

 member my first employment in this life was, I believe, with 

 one of the first presidents of this organization, the Honorable 

 Marshall P. Wilder, and I recalled to your chairman's mind 

 how glad we boys were when told that upon the next morning 

 we might prepare to go with the farmer to Dedham, where 

 the exhibition was to be held. How gladly we trudged along 

 the dusty roads to Dedham, following the wagons laden 

 with pears, apples, squash, potatoes and corn, and in those 

 days we had an exhibition that I don't think was ever sur- 

 passed in the history of this State or of any other. I remember 

 distinctly going with the nurseryman and farmer from the 

 estate of Marshall P. Wilder, in Dorchester, to the fair ground 

 at Dedham, and exhibiting over 400 varieties of pears, three 

 pears to a plate. Marshall P. Wilder's grounds were the trial 

 grounds of all varieties of grapes. Do you remember the 

 great Mr. Rodgers of Salem, the great grape-producer of this 

 State in those days? Every one of those grapes was given a 

 trial on the grounds of Marshall P. Wilder. Strawberries were 

 tried out there. New varieties were developed there. New 

 varieties of plants were developed in his greenhouses. Every 

 pear was given a fair trial. Apples were given a fair trial. 

 Gooseberries, currants, — everything of that nature was given a 

 fair trial on his estate in Dorchester. That man was certainly 

 doing some good for the entire community, because when a 

 thing received his O.K. it was certainly worth trying by the 

 farmers throughout the State. Such shows were very instructive. 

 I presume you are anxious to get to your regular routine of 

 business, and I won't detain you any longer except to say 

 that I am exceedingly pleased to be with you. I am glad I 

 came here, and if I have given you any food for thought, I 



