SECRETARY'S REPORT. 25 



If necessary, let a competent inspector be stationed at the 

 principal markets for live stock, with full power to exclude any 

 diseased animal, or to prevent its being entered and sold there. 

 The last able Board of Commissioners had full power to do this, 

 as well as to put men under oath to elicit facts which will 

 otherwise remain concealed, and this contributed more than 

 any thing to keep the disease in check. 



The honest dealer could not object to this course. It would 

 be his own protection as well as that of the community. The 

 unprincipled dealer alone would be discommoded, and from 

 him the community has a right to protect itself. 



Very respectfully, your Excellency's obedient servant, 



Charles L. Flint, 

 Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. 



PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD AT SPRINGFIELD. 



In accordance with the plan adopted last year, and which was- 

 announced in the last Annual Report, the Board held a public 

 meeting for the purpose of lectures and discussions, in the City 

 Hall, in Springfield, commencing on the 8th day of December, 

 and continuing four days. 



Dr. Loring, as a member of the committee on meetings, called 

 tlie Board to order, and stated the plan and design of the meet- 

 ing, and in the absence of the Chairman, was requested to pre- 

 side. The Secretary occupied the morning and afternoon in 

 the reading of the Report. A discussion arose upon the subject 

 of agricultural education. 



Professor S. W. Johnson, of New Haven, gave an elaborate 

 and careful account of various schools and professors in Europe, 

 as witnessed and known by himself. He described the theoret- 

 ical tendency of all German students, and the zeal and enter- 

 prise with which they pursue tlteir investigations in the colleges. 

 His chief reliance, for the success of schools in this country, 

 was upon some great leading mind for each. Where that had 

 been wanting, the experiment had signally failed ; and he 

 referred, by way of illustration, to the great farm and imposing 

 buildings which alone remain of one attempt here to establish 

 an agricultural school. Of the Pennsylvania school, and of Dr. 

 Fugh, the head of that establishment, he spoke in terms of great 



