NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



89 



3d September last, were now called upon to re- 

 port ; and, upon motion, the report of the President 

 upon Agricultural Education was ordered to a first 

 reading. Mr. Dodge then reported briefly up- 

 on the subject of Milch Cows, and asked for fur- 

 ther time, which was granted. Mr. Lathrop (by 

 Mr. Gorham) reported on Farm Stock. 



The President was requested to nominate five 

 persons to act as an Executive Committee. 



A vote was then taken that when the meeting 

 finally adjourn, it adjourn to meet at the place of 

 the present sitting, on the first Tuesday (the 3d) 

 of February next. Adjourned till 3 o'clock. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The Board re-assembled at three o'clock. 



The announcement of the death of Hon. George 

 Denny was made to the Board, whereupon Allen 

 W. Dodge offered the following resolutions : 



The Massachusetts Board of Agriculture having 

 learned the death of Hon. George Denny, recent- 

 ly associated with them in the prosecution of the 

 objects of the Board, therefore 



Resolved, That this Board have learned with 

 deep regret the decease of their late efficient and 

 intelligent co-laborer, the Hon. George Denny, of 

 Westboro.' 



Resolved, That whilst we bow with submission 

 to the Divine will, that has removed from the scene 

 of his earthly labors one whose life was so useful, 

 we cherish with profound respect the memory of 

 his valuable services in the cause of progressive ag- 

 riculture. 



Resolved, That a copy of these resolves be for- 

 warded to the family of our departed co-laborer, 

 and we tender to them our sincere sympathies. 



Reports from special committees were again read. 



Mr. Brown reported on Farm Implements ; Mr. 

 Lincoln, on Root Crops ; Mr. Daggett, briefly on 

 Farms, and granted time to report further. 



Prof. Fowler submitted the following resolu- 

 tion : 



Resolved, That the President of the Massachu- 

 setts Board of Agriculture be requested to enter 

 into a correspondence with the Presidents of the 

 several State societies and of other agricultural as- 

 sociations, on the subject of the expediency of call- 

 ing a national convention for the purpose of taking 

 into consideration the interests of agriculture in 

 the United States. 



It was discussed and unanimously adopted. 



The President then nominated for the Executive 

 Committee of the Board the following named gen- 

 tlemen : — Edward Everett, John W. Proctor, 

 J. H. W. Page, B. V. French and Professor Fow- 

 ler, who were unanimously elected. 



A second reading of Mr. "Wilder's report on Ag- 

 ricultural Education was called for, read and dis- 

 cusssd at considerable length. Mr. Ccshman then 

 offered the following : — 



Resolved, That the report of the Committee on 

 Agricultural Education be referred to the Execu- 

 tive Committee of this Board, with instructions to 

 present the same to the Legislature in behalf of 



this Board, and urge the passage of such laws as 

 may be necessary to carry out the principles and 

 views contained in said report. 



The report intimates the establishment of a State 

 Department of Agriculture — having for its officers 

 gentlemen peculiarly fitted for this new branch of 

 Education, suggests that a portion of the proceeds 

 of the sales of the public lands may be applied to 

 promote agricultural science, and to bestow upon 

 this mother of all the Arts the same fostering care 

 that has been bestowed upon the other interests of 

 the Commonwealth. The Resolution above was 

 unanimously adopted. 



The subject of Agricultural Education demands 

 an open, full and free discussion, and undoubtedly 

 will receive it in some of the agricultural meetings 

 at the State House. It will only be by a candid 

 comparison of opinions that the true course of ac- 

 tion can be ascertained. There will be, of course, 

 opposing views, but they must be met on all sides 

 with a spirit of kindness and forbearance, and out 

 of them will be evolved a beautiful structure which 

 shall shed its healthful influences over every part 

 of the Commonwealth. 



The meeting throughout seemed animated with a 

 common desire to promote the interests of agricul- 

 tural industry, without being wedded to any par- 

 ticular plan as to how it should be done, provided 

 it accomplish the object proposed. And after a 

 long and laborious session in which the kindliest 

 feelings of the heart prevailed, and marred only by 

 the startling intelligence of the deatli of a beloved 

 brother, the meeting adjourned to the first Tuesday 

 (the 3d day) of February next, at 10 o'clock in the 

 morning. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 CRANBERRIES. 



BY L. A. SHURTLEFF. 



The subject of cranberries seems at this time to 

 be under investigation. I propose to cast in my 

 experience as testimony. Having in several com- 

 munications expressed my views as to wet and clay 

 meadows, I now must inform you and your inter- 

 ested readers that from close observation I have 

 fully made up my mind that the same varieties of 

 fruit grow on high, sandy land, that grow in bog 

 meadows ; and that all pretensions that have been 

 made to the contrary are quackery. I have the 

 same kind and quality growing side by side, only 

 two rods apart ; one on a miry bog, and the other 

 on a dry, worn out and sandy field. I have on my 

 farm two distinct kinds, one oval and the other 

 round. The latter kind grow only on one meadow, 

 and are called the English variety ; they are not 

 so large, but much richer in flavor, and keep lon- 

 ger. I always choose them for my own table. I 

 think I never saw them any where but in this 

 meadow. Three years since I ditched the mea- 

 dow, spreading the mud on the furface. Since 

 then the fruit is large, shape of a R. I. Greening 

 apple, and quite prolific. I am again obliged to 

 say, that meadows that are kept dry by draining 

 are less injured by frost, and produce an hundred 

 bushels where they formerly did not produce ten. 



