62 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



setts, if it fails everywhere else. Another reason is this ; That 

 this Board of Agriculture have been for fifteen long years or 

 thereabouts at work to educate the people of the Commonwealth 

 up to the point that they shall feel the need of a school of 

 this kind. This college could not have been started twenty 

 years ago witli any prospect of success. Out of the desire of a 

 few individuals for an Agricultural College grew the Board of 

 Agriculture. That Board of Agriculture have been at work 

 educating the people, and they now feel an interest in the 

 school which will insure its perfect success. 



Another thing. Through you, gentleman, as the delegates of 

 the agricultural societies of the State, the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural College is linked to every farmer in the Commonwealth. 

 Your societies will look to the Agricultural College eventually. 

 You yourselves, while occupying the position you now do, and 

 your successors after you, will look after the Agricultural Col- 

 lege ; and there will be a reciprocal influence from the college 

 to the farmers, and from the farmers to the college, which will 

 be highly advantageous, I trust, to both. 



I will not occupy the time any further, but if any member of 

 th^e Board desires to ask any question in relation to the insti- 

 tution, I will answer it with pleasure, if I can. 



Professor Agassiz. I have listened with the greatest interest 

 to the statements concerning the condition of the Agricultural 

 College, and I have no doubt, from what you have said, that a 

 success has been accomplished — a success which will continue 

 and increase, and do much to promote the welfare of the State. 

 I deeply sympathize with your efforts and with your success. I 

 know what it is for a teacher to meet with success. It is his 

 life, and it is that which stimulates him to greater effort. I 

 want, at an early stage of the progress of the college, that every 

 obstacle should be removed from its path, and that all the con- 

 , nections which have not yet been made should be so made as to 

 secure the more extensive usefulness of the college ; therefore I 

 should like to ask you a few questions. 



We have now in the State an established system of common 

 schools ; we have iu the State an established system of high 

 schools ; we have in the State a number of colleges ; we have 

 several normal schools which educate teachers for these various 

 schools. Now here is a new kind of school introduced into this 



