1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 5 



comparatively small, you will make up in zeal and en- 

 thusiasm what you lack in numbers. 



Farmers do not usually sow seed in December, and yet I 

 do feel and believe that the seed which will be sown here 

 to-day, to-morrow and next day, during the sessions of this 

 Board, will be such that it will germinate and fructify for 

 years to come, and that it will bring forth fruit for the honor 

 and credit and olorv of the agriculture of Massachusetts. 



I had the pleasure during the last season of visiting what 

 may be termed an experimental farm in the neighboring 

 town of Eindge, N. H , owned by the Cheshire Improve- 

 ment Company ; and it seemed to me from what I saw there, 

 from the care that was taken to ascertain in what manner 

 the best results could be obtained from the fine cattle that 

 were shown to us, the beautiful horses that w^ere exhibited, 

 and the products of the soil, — it seemed to me, I say, that 

 the owners of that farm were doing valuable missionary 

 work for the interests of agriculture. They were expending 

 large sums of money in experimenting as to how they could 

 produce the best cattle, so that the result would be the 

 greatest product of milk and butter ; what would make the 

 best horses, both for speed and for purposes of a more 

 practical nature. They were experimenting in the use of 

 fertilizers ; and, as I said, it seemed to me that that mission- 

 ary enterprise, if such it could be termed, was one that must 

 result in abundant ijood to the ao;ricultural interests of New 

 England, because, although so much of it was on an ex- 

 perimental basis, it afforded to those farmers who have not 

 the money nor the time to expend on such experiments the 

 opportunity to profit by them, rejecting that which w^as of 

 no value, and availing themselves of that which had shown 

 itself to be good and right and best. So I say that a farm 

 of that kind is of value not only to its own immediate sur- 

 roundings, but it is of value to all of you who are directly 

 interested in the pursuits of agriculture. 



I might go on and say to you that I am very glad to see 

 you, wdiich indeed I am, as I feel that you have honored us 

 by your selection of this city as the place for holding this 

 annual meeting. It is an honor that we all as citizens of 

 Fitchburg heartily appreciate, and for which I, as its humble 



