20 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



our State at the time of its organization with tlie sulisequent 

 improvement, and the well-defined and systematic knowledge 

 of the present day. 



This review of our first twenty years of work I think may be 

 considered as satisfactory, for it shows clearly that our plan of 

 operations is a good one. Much time has necessarily been ex- 

 pended in learning how to work, but I think we are on the right 

 track, and may confidently hope to arrive at results, in the 

 future as in tlie past, which will not only advance our common 

 cause, promote the public weal, but redound to the honor of the 

 Commonwealth. 



Afternoon Session. 



The Board assembled at 2 o'clock, P. M., Col. Wilder in the 

 chair, the first business in order, according to the programme, 

 being the following lecture upon 



ROADS AND ROAD MAKING. 

 By Charles L. Flint. 



3Tr. President and Gentlemen : — The Committee on ]\reet- 

 ings have desired me to prepare a paper upon Roads, suggesting 

 at the same time that it be short and designed to open a discus- 

 sion of the subject. It can hardly be expected, of course, that 

 I should attempt to go much into the details of the construction 

 and the management of road repairs. They would involve the 

 necessity of a treatise more or less elaborate, which would 

 weary your patience and cut off a more general expression of 

 opinion on your part, especially important at the present time 

 with a view to leading to some legislation, which is greatly 

 needed to change the present system ; a system which has long 

 since outgrown its usefulness and notoriously fails to accomplish 

 the ends for which it was created. 



And, indeed, the necessity for this minuteness of treatment 

 seems to have been superseded by the publication of the essays 

 prepared in answer to the offer of prizes by this Board at its 

 last country meeting at Pittsfiold, and awarded by an able and 

 efficient committee ; essays which have been widely circulated, 

 and accomplished a most important work by arousing the atten- 

 tion of the community to the importance of some improvement 

 in the deplorable condition of our common roads. 



