196 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pul). Doc, 



also, providing' as it does opportunities for self-help, has 

 undoubtedly exerted an important influence in the same 

 direction, though it is yet too earl}^ for this influence to 

 have made itself fully felt. 



No educational institution in the world I believe has 

 better natural advantaijes. Our location is a maonificent 

 one. It lies in the midst of the most prosperous agricult- 

 ural region in the State. The farm, splendidly suited to 

 the purposes to which it must be put, contains a variety of 

 soils so wonderful that some one in speaking of it has said 

 that on the college estate one ma}^ jum[) from a gravel bank 

 into a peat bog. The sites of our buildings, perfect from a 

 sanitary stand-point, command a view of some of the most 

 charmino; natural scenery in New Ensfland. Everv one 

 who visits us exclaims, " What a beautiful spot ; " and those 

 who visit us more than once, "The place appears to me 

 more beautiful every time I see it." That nothing could be 

 better naturally suited for the purpose to which it is put, is 

 the opinion of all. 



In this beautiful spot, for which nature had seemingly 

 done everything, gifted men have spent a lifetime in earnest, 

 patient, self-sacriflcing endeavor to build up a great agricult- 

 ural college. Through dark days as through bright they 

 have toiled on ; and the dark days, the days when the 

 enemies of the college were numerous and its friends appar- 

 ently few, have been many. With no patterns to follow, no 

 precedents to guide, they have worked on ; and, in spite of 

 obstacles innumerable, have built up an institution of which 

 the State should be and is proud. We have to show to-day 

 in Amherst a farm rapidly approaching a state of thorough 

 and systematic culture and high productiveness ; we have 

 most of the prominent breeds of cattle, and excellent speci- 

 mens of a few breeds of horses, sheep and swine (we should 

 have more) ; we are rapidly acquiring a full line of illustra- 

 tive specimens of all the various styles of farm implements 

 and machines ; and we are building up a great umseum, to 

 contain everything connected with agriculture, — rocks, 

 soils, fertilizers and fertilizer materials, seeds, crops, plants, 

 animals and insects, — all will find their place. We have a 

 splendidly equipped horticultural department, with plant- 



