vi BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. [Jan. 



farming. They were by successful men of practical ex- 

 perience in the specialties which they treated. Each lecture 

 was followed by spirited discussions participated in by 

 members of the Board and by the farmers present from all 

 parts of the State. Valuable experience and information 

 upon each topic was the result. The evening lectures were 

 planned for the entertainment and instruction of the people 

 of the village of Easthampton. The subjects presented on 

 the third day were of special interest to the Patrons of 

 Husbandry, who, appreciating the compliment paid them, 

 gave us the largest audience of the session. The three days' 

 meeting was a success. Those who found it convenient to 

 be present enjoyed and profited by it, but they have not a 

 monopoly of its benefit. The lectures and discussions will 

 be found printed with this report in the Agriculture of 

 Massachusetts for 1888, which the liberality of the Legis- 

 lature enables us to distribute through the State. Thus these 

 valualile papers will be placed within the reach of those 

 for whose benefit they were prepared. 



Four essays prepared by members of the Board, and read 

 at the annual meeting in Boston, are also printed in this 

 volume. By direction of the Board, the laws of the State 

 pertaining to the Board of Agriculture and the several 

 incorporated agricultural societies, together with the rules 

 and requirements of the Board, are printed in the Appendix, 

 where may also be found the report of the Cattle Commis- 

 sioners and the report of the Board of Control of the State 

 Experiment Station. 



The following table will show the distribution of the last 

 edition of the report. Of the 15,000 copies authorized to 

 be printed, 7,578 are distributed by law as follows : — 



Executive Department, 14 



Senators, 1,000 



Representatives, 6,000 



Clerks of the two Houses, ..... 62 



Reporters, 12 



Bound with Public Documents, .... 600 



7,578 



The balance are under the control of the secretary, and 

 were distributed as follows : — 



