16 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



I could go on with these reminiscences of what occurred 

 at that time, but I am here simply to welcome you, and I 

 desire to welcome you here in behalf of the town of 

 Amherst, crowned with its two institutions of education ; 

 I desire to welcome you in behalf of Amherst College, with 

 its seventy-seven years of usefulness ; I desire to welcome 

 you in behalf of your college, the Massachusetts Agricult- 

 ural College, founded under your auspices, nurtured by 

 your care, watched over by you, a college with its thirty- 

 one years of usefulness. 



Mr. Grinnell. It has been decided that Mr. A. M. 

 Lyman, president of the Hampshire Society, should preside 

 over the meeting at this session. I beg to introduce to 

 you Mr. Lyman, president of the Hampshire Agricultural 

 Society. 



Mr. A. M. Lyman. I am very much pleased with the 

 spirit of intense earnestness in the science of agriculture, 

 manifested by the presence of so many people. It denotes 

 the interest which is common among the most of us. It is 

 very encouraging to know that there are so many young 

 people in our vicinity, and far around, that are taking up 

 agriculture for all there is in it. The fascination of the 

 possibilities is a great incentive. That which we get in a 

 practical way on the farm is combined with what we may 

 get from the Agricultural College in the way of printed 

 bulletins which are free to all, showing the scientific princi- 

 ples brought to a practical test, ready to be applied to our 

 every-day needs and benefits. 



We are told that what characterizes American men of 

 science is their intensely practical spirit. The best ex- 

 amples of the utilization of the advances of science are 

 found in the work of certain government departments. The 

 saving to the farming interests of the country through the 

 bureau of entomology pays the expenses of that office many 

 times over. In the geological survey there is gathered and 

 published information of the greatest value concerning the 

 mineral resources of the United States . By the systematic 

 study of hydrography it has been possible by skilful irriga- 

 tion to convert extensive desert tracts in the mountain 

 basins of Arizona and New Mexico into veritable garden 



