268 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



Whose inmates dwell in glad exchange 



Of wishes free from vain expense ; 

 Whose wants beyond their means ne'er range, 



Nor wise denials give offense." 



The Chairman. I see in front of me Mr. Benjamin P. 

 Ware of Marblehead, a member of the State Board. I think 

 the members have not had much to say in regard to farmers' 

 wives and their homes, and I hope he will speak for the 

 Board. 



REMARKS OF B. P. WARE. 



Mr. Ohairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, and Fellow Far- 

 mers, — I did not expect to be called upon on this occasion, 

 although I have been connected with the Order of Patrons 

 from almost its beginning in this State, and have been asso- 

 ciated with them, with my most hearty interest, all of this 

 time. I am in full sympathy with what has been said here 

 to-day, and I am delighted that there has been presented to 

 you a specimen of the result of the work of the Grange. 

 That lady who has presented to you such an able essay, you, 

 I dare say, would never have heard from, were it not for the 

 influence of the Grange. She has shown to you what you 

 may reasonably expect in selecting the daughter of a far- 

 mer's wife for a wife for yourself. She has pictured to you 

 a being that perhaps some of you, my young friends, may 

 feel that there is danger of taking to herself wings and flying 

 away ; but do not have any such fear, for, if you anticipate 

 the pleasure of heaven hereafter, if you would have a taste 

 of it here on earth, take to yourselves one of those beings 

 that have been so ably described here ; and in no other 

 way, in my opinion, will you come so near enjoying on earth 

 the pleasures of heaven. 



I believe in the great influence that this State Board of 

 Agriculture has exerted upon the farmers of Massachusetts 

 in the line of agriculture. I believe in the great influence 

 for the agriculturist that comes through farmers' clubs and 

 farmers' institutes. They are all doing a great and good 

 work ; but there is no organization of agriculturists that 

 does the complete work for the farmer, the farmer's wife, the 

 farmer's daughter and the farmer's son, that the Grange is 

 doing, has done and ever will do, if it continues true to the 



