402 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



observant and well prepared to outline and present before 

 the Legislature recommendations so clearly denned for the 

 improvement of this Board and for the benefit of this prime 

 productive industry. It evinces an interest in agriculture 

 and a study of its needs and a desire for its improvement 

 that is most welcome and most opportune. The only differ- 

 ence of opinion in the Board to-day is in details, — the 

 general policy as outlined by his Excellency is endorsed. 



In the same desire for the future of this Board and in the 

 same spirit of loyalty to agriculture, I shall venture to 

 repeat a few suggestions already brought to your attention, 

 touching only minor details in working out the grand idea of 

 centring all the interests of agriculture in one department 

 and under one control. 



I realize in this stirring age the attractiveness in opening 

 out new vistas and developing new departures from the old 

 paths, and how easy it is to undermine the old and tear 

 away its foundations, and to build ideal structures in the 

 mind's eye. But, instead, it is our work to make the perfect 

 joint so nicely fitting and interlacing in such perfect accord 

 that the sound of the hammer shall not be heard to mar the 

 harmony or interrupt the work. This is our aim, and it is 

 well that we "haste not, waste not," but found the prin- 

 ciples in assured fact and experimental knowledge, building 

 the superstructure upon such strong foundation as will stand 

 to our credit and to the success of this old Board. A mis- 

 take may seriously retard, while slower progress will not 

 endanger, our advance. I do not counsel delay, only that 

 we study these questions and proceed along the lines marked 

 out, carefully guarding our every advance, that no retreat 

 shall be possible till we hold the farmers' interests, now 

 scattered among other boards, centred in our hands for the 

 best good of the agriculture of the State. 



Some of these boards are doing excellent work, and must 

 be highly commended, — their record praises them, — doing 

 better work, perhaps, than could be accomplished at first 

 under the proposed system. Others treat our most vital 

 interests as subordinate, and give them only second place 

 and meagre attention, and require apologies if we encroach 

 upon their valuable time with inquiry or suggestion. These 



