No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xxi 



conditions, raise crop succeeding crop in rapid succession, 

 make the soil they Avant for each special crop, fertilize and 

 cross-fertilize as they desire, sterilize the soil to a wonder- 

 ful increase of growth and productiveness, produce forage 

 or seed at will almost, and all this is but the beofinnino: of 

 the new era of this new century. True, we may say, with 

 Tennyson : — 



Little flower — but if I eould understand 

 What you are, root and all, and all in all. 



Nevertheless, we are coming nearer ,to the heart of nature's 

 forces, and the new varieties of fruit and grain, the new 

 colors of foliage and flower, the improvement year by year, 

 are proof of our creative power. 



The development of agriculture in the last half-century 

 has been a wonderful illustration of its future possibilities 

 and promise. The natural resources brought to our aid, 

 and that science seizes upon and adapts to oiu" uses ; our 

 experiment stations, and the practical results being wrought 

 by and through them ; the agTicultural knowledge attained 

 at om* agricultm'al colleges, and working its results in actual 

 operation with our progressive farmers ; the new departure 

 of proved value in the production of crops, — each and all, 

 working together, have so largely outrun the increase in 

 population that w^e look upon the present centiu-y, Avith its 

 tlireefold increase, not only sure that the agriculture of this 

 country will meet its demands, but that it will at its close 

 stand as to-day, the granary of the world. 



To the members of this Board I am under very great 

 obligations for your constant friendship and cordial support. 

 If the Board has done good work, as I believe it has, to you 

 must be given the meed of praise, for you have cordially 

 sustained every endeavor and actively aided every advance ; 

 and now I leave the Board just at the beginning of a new 

 half-century, in which its work should be so valuable, not 

 alone to the farmers but also to the State, As I have sug- 

 gested, new avenues open before us, new obligations are 

 resting upon us, and I have no fear but Massachusetts will 

 stand, under the leadership of this Board, as she does to-day, 



