NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



4/3 



With the highest respect, I subscribe myself, 

 sincerely yours, Edward Hitchcock. 



This letter was accepted, and ordered to be en- 

 tered on the records of the Board. 



It was moved by Mr. Proctob, that the choice 

 of a Secretary of the Board lie postponed until the 

 meeting of the Board in December next. Upon 

 this motion an interesting discussion took place. 

 Mr. Proctor said he had heard half a dozen gen- 

 tlemen mentioned as suitable persons for the office 

 of Secretary ; some of them well known writers, 

 and others as distinguished for their thorough 

 practical operations. He thought he should be a 

 man of pleasing address, that could familiarly ap- 

 proach the farmer, and of easy access himself. 

 Others engaged in the discussion, and the motion 

 was adopted. 



Mr. French moved that a committee of five be 

 raised to report in reference to the nomination of 

 a Secretary, which motion prevailed, and II. W. 

 Cushman, M. P. Wilder, J. A. Nash,B. V. French 

 and J. W. Proctor were appointed. 



The Secretary read a note from John C. Gray, 

 accompanied by a parcel of wheat sent to him by 

 Sampel A. Eliot. This wheat is from Xeres, in 

 Spain, and bears a high character. It is a large, 

 handsome, hard kernel, and was offered the mem- 

 bers of the Board for experiment in various parts 

 of the State. 



Mr. Proctor moved that such gentlemen as did 

 not have a subject assigned them at the last meet- 

 ing, designate now what topic they will report up- 

 on at the meeting in December ; — and the follow- 

 ing elections were made : 



Rearing and management of Swine, — James S. 

 Grennell. 



The cultivation of Indian Corn, — Joshua R. 

 Lawton. 



Stover and green food for Cattle, — Joseph Smith. 



What is the proper season for cutting wood and 

 timber? — George S. Boutwell. 



Cultivation of Forest Trees, — Charles B. H. 

 Fes*exden. 



[This last assignment was made at the meet- 

 ing in August, but was inadvertently omitted.] 



While the above assignment was going on, Dr. 

 Hitchcock; suggested that much might be accom- 

 plished by some definite action in regard to col- 

 lecting seeds, plants, implements, minerals, woods, 

 and everything relating to the occupation of the 

 farmer, and placing them in a proper depository: 

 that much might be done in our common schools 

 to lead the young mind into an investigation of the 

 important facts ever about us on the farm: — and 

 that the Secretary might give lectures in the differ- 

 ent towns, or the Board send men out to do so. 



Dr. Reed said, he believed that if the State 

 should incur the expense of placing a handsome 

 suit of seeds of all description, in glass jars, la- 

 beled, in every school district in the State, and 

 could thereby exclude three pernicious plants, he 



thought it would be a cheap purchase, and that 

 the Board might be exceedingly useful in this par- 

 ticular point. 



Mr. Beown said, he believed the principal cause 

 of the low estimation in which farming, as an oc- 

 cupation, had been held, was a want of intelligence 

 in that occupation. It has hcen too long looked 

 upon as a labor demanding nothing hut bone and 

 sinew ; a drudgery with the eleds, and a contest 

 with insects and the elements. It had lost its in- 

 tellectual enticements, -and a work for a living 

 idea had become so common, that to he housed, 

 fed and clothed from the farm, however indiffer- 

 ently, seemed to be by great numbers, as doing 

 pretty well. The true enjoyments and improve- 

 ments of life were secondary matters, if ever 

 thought of at all. A dollar a da} r , or its value in 

 meat and bread, is a hard condition of life. He 

 believed if proper measures were pursued in the 

 towns, in the schools, and particularly in the ly- 

 ceums, new views might be disseminated which 

 would lead to higher studies, practices and inves- 

 tigations, scattering this freezing indifference, and 

 implanting better aims and desires, which would 

 soon place a new aspect upon the face of the land, 

 and a new joy in the hearts of the people. He 

 cited several instances where the initiatory steps 

 might be taken, and progress attained. He thought 

 the sons and daughters of many farmers were not 

 treated with proper consideration ; too much time 

 and labor were required of them, and they were 

 too often debarred those privileges and wholesome 

 recreations which are indispensable to the young, 

 and which the young in other classes enjoy. They 

 are necessary for a healthy moral and physical 

 condition, and being denied, discontent and dis- 

 gust with their occupation take the place of a 

 wholesome ambition in its pursuit. 



Mr. French moved that a committee be raised 

 to confer with a committee appointed by the Leg- 

 islature, in relation to a suitable room for the meet- 

 ings of the Board, and Messrs. French, Brown 

 and Grennell were appointed said committee. 



Interesting remarks were made by Messrs. Nash, 

 Proctor, Parkhurst, Smith, Lawton, Spragve and 

 Grennell, but of which we were not able to get 

 reliable notes, while engaged in the business of 

 the session. 



On motion of Mr. Proctor, a committee consist- 

 ing of Messrs. Proctor, Hitchoock and Reed, was 

 appointed to take into consideration the subject of 

 agriculture in common schools, and report at the 

 next meeting. 



It was then voted, upon motion of Dr. Hitch- 

 cock, that Mr. Walker, Secretary of the Com- 

 monwealth, be requested to report at the meeting 

 of the Board, next December, upon the best means 

 of promoting the interests of Agriculture in the 

 State, by public lectures. 



And the meeting adjourned. 



