56 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



proposed to describe tlie part which glaciers had performed in 

 pounding the rocks of past ages into soil fit for cultivation. He 

 described that condition of the earth, when a sudden winter shut 

 down on the nortliern latitudes and entrapped the animals of 

 warmer regions in cases of ice. Then the work of glaciers north 

 of thirty-five degrees, north, and south of thirty-five degrees, 

 south latitude, began. He described by diagrams the move- 

 ment of these masses of ice, driven on by the accumulating 

 weight in the rear, and thawing at the foot under the influences 

 of a southern sky. And as the work went on, the rocks and 

 hills were disintegrated for the benefit of after ages of civilized 

 agriculture. The lecture was full of interest and of important 

 facts. 



Friday, Dec. 11th, the Board met at ten o'clock. Henry 

 Colt, Esq., delegate from the Berkshire Society, was called on to 

 preside over the deliberations of the Board, when the topic 

 discussed was 



CATTLE BREEDING. 



Prof. Agassiz, who was present, was called on to give his 

 views upon the subject. After expressing some sound sentiments 

 with regard to the connection between science and practice, and 

 showing how the two ought to be connected in the business of 

 agricultural education, he entered into an elaborate lecture 

 upon the laws of reproduction, and their connection with the 

 breeding of farm animals, as an illustration of the vast importance 

 of profound science in guiding the farmer in his work. He has 

 found by experiment that the process of fecundation was gov- 

 erned by some extraordinary laws. The common turtle, for 

 instance, does not commence to breed untiFit is seven years old. 

 At the second year, connection between the male and female 

 takes place, without any apparent result. The third year con- 

 nection takes place, and still no eggs. And so on until the 

 seventh year of the life of the female, when she commences 

 bringing forth maternal eggs. At this time the eggs in the 

 ovaries present various sizes as if they had been impregnated at 

 the different periods. Certain very curious facts in the repro- 

 duction of other animals, go to show that the impregnation of 

 an ovum may take place a long time previous to its development, 



