No. 4.] FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY. 37 



Board most earnestly desire her to complete that system 

 by providing kindred institutions for the scientific educa- 

 tion of the farmer, upon whom is levied so large a share of 

 the taxes for the support of governmental and philanthropic 

 objects ; that it is the duty, as well as the interest of the 

 State, to aid in furnishing the means for such an education ; 

 and that a thorough, systematic course of education is 

 as necessary to prepare the cultivator of the soil for pre- 

 eminence in his calling, as to secure excellence in any of 

 the schools of science or art." These are no uncertain 

 words, and fittingly echo the fervent hope of Mr. Wilder in 

 his opening remarks, " that, if it be the opinion of this con- 

 vention that agriculture may be promoted by the application 

 of science, such a sentiment may be expressed in terms so 

 explicit as not to be misunderstood." 



There seems to have been at this time a general awaken- 

 ing to the necessities of an agricultural education. Henry 

 L. Dawes, in an address on agricultural education before the 

 Housatonic Agricultural Society in 1853, after enumerating 

 the obstacles to be encountered by the farmer in the discharge 

 of the grand, crowning duty of the day, — the regeneration 

 of the soil of Massachusetts, — said : " And the means not 

 now within his reach, that shall enable him to triumph over 

 them in this great attainment, are the necessities of the 

 farmers of this Commonwealth. The means lie in an ag-ri- 

 cultural education. And for their accomplishment let 

 Massachusetts establish an agricultural school, where will 

 be taught the principles of the science and their application 

 to the art of agriculture ; and let the doors of knowledge be 

 opened wide to all the sons of her soil, — not for the study 

 of the speculative and mysterious, but the practical and 

 useful." 



The Board of Agriculture led the way in this popular 

 movement ; and we find that at its third meeting, held 

 Sept. 7, 1852, a committee was appointed to consider the 

 expediency of preparing a manual on agriculture for the 

 use of common schools. 



Again, at a meeting held three years later, Jan. 16, 1856, 

 a committee previously appointed to consider and report to 



