372 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



ered to investigate such subjects relating to improvement in. 

 agriculture in this Commonwealth as they may think proper, 

 and may take, hold in trust, and exercise control over dona- 

 tions or bequests made to them for promoting agricultural 

 education or the general interests of husbandry ; may fix 

 the days on which the different agricultural societies shall 

 commence their exhibitions, and may prescribe forms for 

 and regulate the returns required of said societies, and shall 

 furnish to the secretary of each society such blanks as they 

 may deem necessary to secure uniform and reliable statistics ; 

 shall annually, by their chairman or secretary, submit to the 

 general court a detailed report of their doings, with such 

 recommendations and sus^estions as the interests of asTi- 

 culture may require. 



The Board of Agriculture also acts as a board of forestry ; 

 has two of its members on the board of control of the State 

 Experiment Station ; determines the amount of bounty to 

 which a society is entitled for any year, and may prescribe 

 rules and regulations to societies for uniform modes of 

 ascertaining the product of crops entered for premium. 



It is the duty of the secretary of the Board in each year 

 to cause to be made and published for distribution as full an 

 abstract of the returns of the agricultural societies as he may 

 deem useful ; and he may also appoint one or more suitable 

 agents to visit, under the direction of the Board, the towns 

 of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of inquiring into the 

 methods and wants of practical husbandry ; of ascertaining 

 the adaptation of agricultural products to soil, climate and 

 markets ; of encouraging the establishment of farmers' clubs, 

 agricultural libraries and reading-rooms ; and of disseminat- 

 ing useful information in agriculture by means of lectures or 

 otherwise ; and for this latter purpose the sum of $1,400 was 

 appropriated this year. 



By the regulations of the Board, an annual business meeting 

 is held at the office of the secretary in Boston, commencing 

 on the Tuesday preceding the first "Wednesday in February, 

 and continuing through the following Wednesday, on which 

 day the new members may take their seats, and the meeting 

 be prolonged as business may require. At this meeting an 

 executive committee, consisting of five members, is chosen, 



