2 MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY. 



ney, Esq. The high character of this gentleman, the place 

 which he held in the respect and confidence of all who knew 

 him, and his enthusiasm and perseverance in behalf of the great 

 cause of agriculture, are too generally understood, to render 

 any addition to this simple reference necessary. 



Shortly after the death of Mr. Phinney, a committee was 

 appointed to examine the state of the society's stock at Lexing- 

 ton, with authority, if they thought best, to sell the native 

 stock, with the cross breeds derived from them, which they 

 reported to have been done. More recently, a committee was 

 appointed to take into consideration the expediency, of selling 

 all of the stock belonging to the society, remaining after the 

 distribution to each county society, of one pair of the same 

 breed, of full blood, which will probably be completed before 

 the first of April, next. The committee reported in favor of a 

 sale, and upon the condition that the animals be retained 

 within the Commonwealth. 



Dr. Warren, chairman of the committee on the diseases of 

 animals, reported, that Dr. Brooks, with whom he had corres- 

 ponded while he was in Paris, in 1846, and who had, at the 

 request of the committee, examined the veterinary institutions 

 of France, had now returned, and proposed, at the request of 

 the committee, to deliver a course of four lectures, during the 

 month of February, next. Dr. Warren suggested, as the lec- 

 tures would be delivered during the session of the Legislature, 

 application should be made for the use of the chamber of the 

 House of Representatives for that purpose. 



Each county society now pursues the course commenced 

 ' more than thirty-three years ago, by the Massachusetts Society, 

 to encourage the industry and stimulate the ingenuity of the 

 farmers in the offer of premiums, and an opportunity of exhib- 

 iting the result of their labors and their inventions. The better 

 knowledge of the habits and requirements of the immediate 

 neighborhood, the better knowledge of the soil and markets of 

 their respective counties, with the fact that the places of exhi- 

 bition are not far from any competitor, give to these smaller 

 circles, much larger opportunities of offering judiciously, and 

 awarding carefully, than could ever have been had by the 



