No. 4.] BOARD OF AGRICULTURE S31 



THE INFLUENCE OF THE BOARD ON THE AGRICUL- 

 TURE OF THE STATE. 



BY MR. JOHN BURSLEY OF WEST BARNSTABLE. 



As a half century of the work of this Board is now nearly 

 completed, it is indeed a fitting question as to, what has been 

 the influence of the Board on the agriculture of the State. 

 At the second meeting, held at the State House, Jan. 14, 

 1852, at which meeting a constitution and by-laws were 

 adopted, it was — 



Resolved, That, inasmuch as agriculture is the chief occupation 

 of her citizens, the Commonwealth, in the organization of its gov- 

 ernment, should be provided with a department of agriculture, 

 with offices commensurate with the importance of the duties to be 

 discharged, of the abilities to be required and of the labors to be 

 performed. 



At this date, fifty years later, the agriculture of Massa- 

 chusetts, while not holding its position as the chief occupa- 

 tion of our citizens, does employ, directly and indirectly, 

 quite a large portion of our people. 



The growing of the cereals and the raising of beef, pork 

 and mutton, then the larger part of the work of our farmers, 

 have all followed the advice of the late Horace Greeley, and 

 " gone west." With the westward march of these industries 

 has also gone one of our best crops, viz., the plucky, brainy 

 boys from our Massachusetts farms. 



During all of this half-century the Massachusetts Board 

 of Agriculture has not been idle. We hear it said occasion- 

 ally that it is a sort of mutual admiration society, fostered 

 for the good of its members, who are allowed two or three 

 junket trips per year at the expense of the Commonwealth. 



