No. 4.] FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY. 33 



promise have been taken advantage of in a practical way by 

 making experimental shipments. High-grade dairy prod- 

 ucts, carefully labelled to show their United States origin, 

 have been forwarded by the department to distant markets 

 in several quarters of the globe, and tliere placed on sale, in 

 order that foreign buyers may learn to know the superior 

 quality of American produce. Similar steps have been 

 taken as regards some of our native fruits and vegetables. 



It may be added that the supervision hitherto exercised 

 by the department over the exportation of live stock and 

 meat products has this year been extended so as to include 

 dairy products, and thus the integrity of our agricultural 

 export trade is still further guaranteed. 



Under the resourceful and progressive leadership of our 

 present secretary, the Department of Agriculture has 

 unquestionably become a far more active agency than 

 hitherto in advancing the interests of the American farmer. 



In the great work with which the national department is 

 charged it receives invaluable assistance from the various 

 State organizations, among which there is none of hio-her 

 standing than the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture. If 

 Secretary Wilson were here to-day he would extend to you 

 his most hearty congratulations on this anniversary, mark- 

 ing, as it does, a period of great usefulness. In his absence 

 it becomes my privilege and my pleasure to offer these con- 

 gratulations, Avhich I do most heartily. 



The Chair. Massachusetts has an agricultural college, 

 and this Board of Agriculture has been connected more or 

 less closely with its administration. This is in accord wdth 

 the State law. The Board has the duty of fostering and 

 supervising the college. The college has a faculty who, to 

 a large extent, come in contact wdth the farmers of our 

 community, as Governor Boutwell suggested, with scientific 

 lectures and certain knowledge upon the various educational 

 topics of the times, upon which scientific men are able to 

 give instruction to the people. From the very first there 

 has been connected with that collesre the man who is now 

 its president. He was not a born farmer, but he was inter- 



