44 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



eighteen of these societies supporting a scholarship, while 

 the Massachusetts held itself responsible for three and the 

 Essex and the Plymouth each two. At this same time it 

 advocated the proposal that each agricultural society should 

 set aside one-sixth of the moneys granted to it by the State 

 as a fund towards the support of a professor at the college, 

 whose duty it should be to carry out such experiments as 

 the Board might from time to time direct. A circular was 

 sent out to each of the thirty agricultural societies, asking 

 whether it would consent to such setting aside of one-sixth 

 of its stated income. This proposition, however, failed to 

 go into effect ; and a resolution was then adopted stating 

 that it was desirable that the secretary of the Board should 

 be located at the college and become a professor, performing 

 such professional duties as the trustees might direct, and 

 receiving a competent salary from the Commonwealth. 

 This resolution was reconsidered the next year, and the fol- 

 lowing resolution adopted: "That Charles L. Flint, the 

 secretary of this Board, be authorized to deliver a course of 

 lectures at the Agricultural College, or to discharge such 

 duties connected with the instruction of the students at that 

 institution, as the trustees ma v assign to him, provided that 

 such services do not conflict with his duties as secretary 

 aforesaid." Under this resolve Mr. Flint lectured at the 

 college for four successive years, his name being carried on 

 the catalogue as lecturer on dairy farming. 



Again in 1875 we find the Board renewing its efforts to 

 induce the several agricultural societies to each maintain a 

 scholarship at the college, and to secure the attendance of 

 one or more students from the district covered by their 

 organizations. 



In all matters of financial aid the Board b}'^ direct effort 

 and petition to the General Court was a powerful support to 

 the trustees. This was particularly manifest in the years 

 1868, 1869, 1876, 1877, 1882 and 1899. 



When, in 1880, Governor Talbot and Council advocated 

 the union of Amherst College and the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural College, it was the Board that, under the leadership 

 of Benjamin P. Ware of IMarblehead, drew up a series of 



