314 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The commissioners to whom were referred the resolves of the 

 Legislature of 1850, concerning the establishment of an agricultural 

 school, etc , in their report in January, 1851, recommended the 

 establishment of a State Department of Agriculture, which should 

 sustain a similar relation to Agriculture and the schools connected 

 with it, as the Board and Secretary of Education do to the primary 

 schools. 



In 1850, Hon. Amasa Walker, Secretary of the Commonwealth, 

 wrote : " But something it is believed may be safely attempted, a 

 beginning may be made, a Board of Agriculture may be estab- 

 lished by the authority of the State ; corresponding in its general 

 features to the Board of Education. Such a board might at once 

 be empowered to employ an able secretary whose whole time shall 

 be devoted to the work of obtaining and diffusing information on 

 the subject of agricultural education, and whatever else concerns 

 the ga'eat farming interests of the Commonwealth." 



The first meeting of the voluntary Massachusetts Board of Agri- 

 culture was held September 3, 1851, at the State House, Boston. 

 The following list of officers for a permanent organization of the 

 Board was reported and accepted : President, Marshall P. Wilder ; 

 Vice-Presidents, Henry W. Cushman, John W. Lincoln; Corres- 

 ponding Secretary, Allen W. Dodge ; Recording Secretary, Edgar 

 K. Whitaker. 



At the second meeting of the Board, January 14, 1852, it was 



Besolved, That inasmuch as Agriculture is the chief occupation 

 of her citizens, the Commonwealth, in the organization of its gov- 

 ernment, should be provided with a Department of Agriculture, 

 with officers commensurate with the importance of the duties to 

 be discharged, of the abilities to be required, and of the labors to 

 be performed. 



Through the earnest efforts of the Board and the active cooper- 

 ation of the agriculturists throughout the State, the Legislature of 

 1852, with great unanimity passed the following act. 



Acts 1852, Chapter 142. 



An Act to establish a State Board of Agriculture. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in 

 General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as 

 follows : 



