424 



■ NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Your committee having considered the duties above 

 named as naturally pertaining to the office of the Sec- 

 retary of this Board, next attended to the other sub- 

 ject committed to them, viz., that of designating a 

 person for the office. 



The qualifications of several distinguished gentle- 

 men have received the favorable consideration of 

 your committee, and they are happy to report that 

 after mature deliberation, they unanimously recom- 

 mend Edward Hitchcock, President of Amherst Col- 

 lege, as a gentleman eminently qualified to receive 

 this trust, and to discharge the duties of the office. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 



Marshall P. Wilder, Chairman. 



On motion of Mr. Gray, the report was adopted, 

 and the Board proceeded to ballot for a Secretary. 

 Seventeen votes were given in, all of which were 

 for Edward Hitchcock, of Amherst. 



The Secretary was then instructed to inform Dr. 

 Hitchcock of his election. 



Mr. Proctor, from the committee appointed to 

 select subjects relating to agriculture most worthy 

 of attention, submitted the following report, which, 

 after considerable discussion, was accepted. 



The committee who was instructed to make a selec- 

 tion of subjects for the consideration of this Board, 

 pursuant to the provisions of the 8th section of the 

 statute, are of the opinion that a plain, direct dis- 

 cussion of practical subjects, in a manner that will 

 commend itself favorably to practical farmers, should 

 be at the foundation of all our movements. Not that 

 we would undervalue scientific investigations and spe- 

 culations; but because they are not so useful to the 

 farmer, as well digested practical suggestions. There 

 is no department in the culture of the soil, where 

 there is not much to be learned. There is no depart- 

 ment, where there is any thing known with entire 

 certainty. 



Take any subject and turn it over in the mind 

 carefully, and every new revolution will develop some 

 thought, that had not before occurred. So far, 

 therefore, from there being a want of subjects to be 

 treated, the superabundance makes it difficult to 

 select those which will be most appropriate. 



At present, before a complete organized move- 

 ment of the Board is settled upon, it is believed, that 

 it is a duty we owe the cause entrusted to our care, 

 to enter the field individually as ivorkingmen; and 

 each one to take hold of the part assigned, and per- 

 form it as best he may; to be, in truth, a hive of 

 working bees, and not of drones. It is not enough 

 to think of what is to be done by the Secretary that 

 may be appointed : but we should think of what 

 we ourselves can do, and when this is done there will 

 still remain enough to be done by a Secretary. Let 

 there be assigned to each individual of the Board, 

 some agricultural topic, on which a report will be 

 expected from him, on his own responsibility, at our 

 meeting in December. These reports, together with 

 the reports of the committees to the several societies, 

 and the returns from these societies; will together 

 constitute a mass of material, which, when properly 

 digested and arranged by the Secretary, will be 

 worthy the attention of the Legislature and of the 

 agricultural community. 



As an illustration of what we mean, we would re- 

 fer to the reports submitted by the voluntary Board 

 of the last year. 'Will any one say that either of the 

 topics then discussed was exhausted. We presume 

 those who wrote would not entertain this opinion. On 

 the contrary, what was then said, only paved the 

 way for saying something more and better when op- 

 portunity should offer. 



With this view we present a list of 21 subjects, to be 

 chosen by an assignment to individuals of the Board, 

 in such a manner as may be most agreeable; with 

 liberty to exchange, so as to adapt these subjects to 

 the experience of those who treat them. Select- 

 ed as we are with a duty to perform, it is respect- 

 fully suggested that we are not at liberty to decline 

 this service. It is important to begin our work in a 

 manner to command the favor of those we serve. 



Upon motion of Mr. Wood, it was then voted 

 that each member of the Board be invited to pre- 

 sent a written essay upon some one of the subjects 

 mentioned in the report just adopted, or s nne 

 other subject agreeable to him, and submit it to 

 the Board at its meeting in December next. 



Tbe following assignment of subjects was then 

 made, viz.: 



1. On the application of science to Agriculture. 



Edward Hitchcock. 



2. Educatian of the young farmer. 



Simon Brown. 



3. Root crops — the dangers to which they are ex- 

 posed from blight, insects, &c, and their compara- 

 tive value. J. W. Proctor. 



4. Best method of laying down land to grass and 

 continuing the product. Francis Brewi:r. 



5. Pasture lands — best method of renovating and 

 improving them. Amasa Walker. 



6. Cows for dairy purposes — how to be selected, 

 and the most advantageous uses to be made of their 

 milk. William Parkhurst. 



7. Wheat — the expediency of its cultivation in 

 Massachusetts. II. W. Cushman. 



8. Apple orchards — how shall they be preserved 

 and kept in bearing condition. J. C. Gray. 



9. Winter fruits — the best varieties and modes of 

 preservation. M. P. Wilder. 



10. Manures — their preparation and application. 



John A. Nash. 



11. Plowing — comparative advantages of deep and 

 shallow plowing. Stephen Reed. 



12. Subsoil plowing and drainage. 



B. V. French. 



13. Irrigation — The expediency of its application. 



John W. Lincoln. 



14. Birds — expediency of preserving. 



J. H. W. Page. 



15. Neat stock — breeding and management of. 



Seth Sprague. 



The remaining six subjects reported by the com- 

 mittee were not assigned. 



Messrs. French, Lincoln and Fessenden wore 

 appointed a committee to recommend three per^ 

 sons as members of the National Agricultural So- 

 ciety. 



The Board then adjourned to meet at the State 

 House on the first Wednesday in December next, 

 at 10 o'clock. 



Corn after Buckwheat. — The editor of the 

 Middlesex Farmer is of opinion that it is not well 

 to plant corn after buckwheat. He says "there is 

 some property in buckwheat that seems to poison 

 the soil, or at least render it unfit for corn." That 

 he has tried it and noticed the results in other 

 fields, and there has invariably been a light and 

 uneven crop of corn. 



