No. 4.] EESPONSE BY GEN. APPLETON. 29 



through on a train. It impresses me as having beautiful and 

 attractive grounds and streets. 



As to the Board of Agriculture, I am sure the responsi- 

 bilities are very great upon us. When I started to write 

 down a few words, I thought of my knowledge of the Board 

 through the local society since 1870, and my connection with 

 it, and if I could not say something without notes I had better 

 sit down and leave the Board and everything else. 



To-day the responsibilities of the Board are great, and the 

 first thought that came to me as I sat down was the first lines 

 of a hymn that Mr. Esten will recall, " A charge to keep I 

 have, a God to glorify." That is the position of the Board 

 of Agriculture. The spirit with which that charge should be 

 executed is in the last words. Those connected with the 

 Board know that the Board executes the laws of the Com- 

 monwealth that are put into its hands to carry out. It also 

 works for legislation in ways which it thinks will be for the 

 interests of the Commonwealth. 



It has been my privilege to travel about this Common- 

 wealth a great deal, and over the country and in other coun- 

 tries, and I know the beauties of this good old State by 

 comparison. I know of its natural beauties in comparison 

 with other parts of the country. We look up the history of 

 Westfield, and we find that the diversity of surface is as 

 great as that in any other part of the Commonwealth. 



How difierent are the conditions to-day from what they 

 were when this Board was started. What have we to draw 

 upon ? What have we to help us in our agricultural efforts ? 

 In the early days we did not have the Department of Agri- 

 culture at Washington, with all its details and with all the 

 expenditures there for our good that we have to-day. It is 

 for us to draw upon, and they are ready to come and help 

 us. We have our agricultural college for our young men to 

 go to, to get an education on an agricultural basis that will 

 train their minds for any course they may adopt. They get 

 knowledge that will help them to advance and ennoble them. 

 You w ill agree with me that our schools are best if taught on 

 the same plane of instruction. Is it not true that the early 

 training of the mind to cultivate the powers of observation, 

 which is a great basis, cannot be brought about by widely 



