12 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Through the kindness of a merciful Providence, I stand be- 

 fore you to-day as the senior member of the Massachusetts Board 

 of Agriculture, and as the only one of this assembly who was 

 present at the time of its primary organization. In view of this 

 fact, and that this present year will close the twentieth of its 

 operations, I have thought it might be not only interesting but 

 profitable to refer to its origin, history, and the work it has 

 already accomplished. 



The preliminary efforts for the establishment of the State 

 Board of Agriculture emanated from a meeting of the Trustees 

 of the Norfolk Agricultural Society, held January 28th, 1851. 

 It was there voted, that " the president and secretaries be a com- 

 mittee to mature and adopt a plan for a convention of delegates 

 from the various agricultural societies of the Commonwealth, 

 to be holden at some convenient time and place, the object of 

 which shall be to concert measures for their mutual advantage, 

 and for the promotion of the cause of agricultural education." 



This convention assembled at the State House, in Boston, on 

 the 20th of March, 1851. The attendance was large, being 

 composed of delegates, with officers and trustees of societies, 

 and other friends of agriculture. 



The session lasted for several days. After a thorough discus- 

 sion of the subject, and a free interchange of opinion, a Central 

 Board of Agriculture was formed. It was organized Sept. 2, 

 1851, by the choice of Marshall P. Wilder as President, Henry 

 W. CusiJMAN and John W. Lincoln, Vice-Presidents, Allen 

 W. Dodge, Corresponding Secretary, and Edgar K. Whitaker, 

 Recording Secretary, with three delegates from each incorpo- 

 rated society receiving the bounty of the Commonwealth, and in 

 this form it exercised its functions, holding its meetings at the 

 State House, for two years, when it finally culminated in the 

 establishment in a department of the government, with the Sec- 

 retary resident at tlie capital. The Act of the legislature was 

 passed in 1852, and the present Secretary entered upon the 

 duties of his office in February, 1853. By this Act, the gov- 

 ernor of the State was a member of the Board, and each in- 

 corporated society receiving the bounty of the State was en- 

 titled to send a delegate, the term of whose office was to con- 

 tinue for three years. To these were added three other delegates, 

 to be appointed by the governor and council, and also, as ex 



