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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



ASSOCIATED AGRICULTURAL CON- 

 VENTION. 



Agreeably to a call, which notice recently ap- 

 peared in our paper, a convention of delegates from 

 the several agricultural societies assembled at the 

 Green Room, in the State House, March 20th, for 

 the purpose of concerting measures for their mutu- 

 al advantage, and for the promotion of the cause of 

 agricultural education. 



The convention was organized by the appoint- 

 ment of the following officers. 



For President— lion. Marshall P. Wilder, of the 

 Norfolk Society. 



For Vice Presidents — Hon. John C. Gray, of the 

 State Society; Hon. Levi Lincoln, of the Worces- 

 ter County Society; John W. Proctor, Esq., of the 

 Essex County Society; Hon. E. R. Hoar, of the 

 Middlesex County Society; Morgan Lewis, Esq., 

 of the Berkshire County Society; Hon. Seth 

 Sprague, of the Plymouth County Society; J. H. 

 W. Page, Esq., of the Bristol County Society; 

 Hon. William Clark, of the Hampshire, Hampden 

 and Franklin Society; Gen. Jeremiah Mayo, of the 

 Barnstable County Society: Josiah Hooker, Esq., 

 of the Hampden County Society; Gilbert Monson, 

 of the Housatonic Society; Alfred Baker, Esq., of 

 the East Hampshire Society; Hon. George Denny, 

 of the Westboro' Society; Hon. Henry W. Cush- 

 man, of the Franklin County Society. 



For Secretaries — Hon. Mr. Whitaker, of Need- 

 ham; Hon. Mr. Keyes, of Dedham; Wm. S. Lin- 

 coln, Esq., of Worcester; Samuel A. Dean, of 

 Taunton. 



Rev. Mr. Huntington, of Boston, invoked the 

 blessing of Heaven upon the convention. 



The president made a few remarks on the objects 

 of the convention. 



A business committee were appointed; and it was 

 voted that the members of the executive and lesis- 

 lative branches of government be invited to at- 

 tend the convention. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



In the afternoon the convention assembled in the 

 Representatives' Hall, which was pretty well filled. 



Rev. C. C. Sewall, of Norfolk, of the business 

 committee, reported the following preamble and res- 

 olutions. 



Whereas, Agriculture, the parents of the Arts, 

 is essential to the subsistence and preservation of 

 the human race, and embraces in itself the elements 

 of national wealth and power — therefore, be it 



Resolved, 1. That the encouragement and ad- 

 vancement of agriculture should be with us, as it 

 has been with other civilized nations, a leading ob- 

 ject of public regard, to be cherished by a gener- 

 ous public sentiment, and liberally sustained by the 

 resources of the commonwealth. 



Resolved, 2. That it is expedient to establish a 

 Central Board of Agriculture, to be composed of 

 delegates from the various incorporated Agricul- 

 tural Societies of the commonwealth, whose duty 

 it shall be to meet semi-annually, or oftener, if it 

 shall be deemed expedient, and to recommend to 

 the several societies uniform rules of action, and to 

 take into consideration all subjects pertaining to the 

 interests of agriculture. 



Resolved, 3. That, whether acting as individuals, 

 or as representatives, the citizens of the common- 

 wealth are bound to encourage the application of 

 science to all those branchesof industry which min- 

 ister to human comfort and happiness, and thereby 

 to the wealth and prosperity of the State. 

 Resolved, 4. That Agricultural Schools having been 

 found, by the experience of other nations, efficient 

 means in promoting the cause of Agricultural Ed- 

 ucation, which is so essential to the prosperity of 

 farmers, and to the welfare of communities, it be- 

 comes at once the duty and policy of the common- 

 wealth to establish and maintain such institutions 

 for the benefit of all its inhabitants. 



Resolved, 5. That the general plans for an Agri- 

 cultural School, recently reported by the board of 

 commissioners appointed for that purpose, are wor- 

 thy the profound consideration of the people of 

 Massachusetts, and their representatives in the Gen- 

 eral Court, as indicating the feasibility and practi- 

 cability of an establishment worthy that exalted 

 character which the State has secured by the en- 

 dowment of kindred institutions, designed like these 

 for the diffiision of useful knowledge among the 

 people. 



Resolved, 6. That inasmuch as agriculture is the 

 chief occupation of her citizens, the commonwealth, 

 in her organization, should be provided with a de- 

 partment of agriculture, with officers and honors 

 commensurate with the importance of the duties to 

 be discharged, of the abilities to be required, and 

 of the labois to be performed. 



Resolved, 7. That the several county and local 

 Agricultural Societies, (already the adopted chil- 

 dren of the commonwealth,) by their pioneer efforts 

 in diflusing useful knowledge among the people; 

 by their agency in arousing and directing the en- 

 ergies of the farmer in the course of modern im- 

 provement, and by the encouragement they offer to 

 every worthy effort of agricultural skill and indus- 

 try, recommend themselves still more powerfully 

 to the protection and patronage of the Legislature. 



Resolved, 8. That the convention respectfully 

 suggests to the Legislature the propriety and ex- 

 pediency of reserving the entire proceeds of the 

 sales of the public lands of the commonwealth — 

 f lom and after the period when the Common School 

 Fund shall have reached the maxiuni fixed by the 

 act of 1834 — for purposes of education and charity, 

 with a view to extending that aid and encourage- 

 ment 10 a system of agricultural education which 

 the importance of the subject so imperiously de>- 

 mands. 



Voted, that the resolutions be taken up in order 

 excepting those relating to agricultural education, 

 which were left to the last. 



The first resolution was taken up and adopted 

 without discussion. 



The second resolution was taken up, and after 

 considerable discussion it was adopted. 



Col. Page, of the Bristol Society, offered the 

 following motion, which was adopted; — That the 

 President and Secretaries of this Convention be a 

 committee with power to take measures for the or- 

 ganization of the Central Board of Agriculture, as 

 recommended by the first resolve, and that such 

 Board be authorized to petition the Legislature for 

 an act of incorporation, if they deem it expedient. 



