286 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



We believe that the modes of agriculture must change with the 

 times, and that tlie people of tliis State, if they would preserve 

 their independence as a people, their morality as men and 

 women, the purity of their children, they must rely, next to our 

 high and holy religion, upon an agricultural population, rooted 

 and grounded in her soil. We are here, ladies and gentlemen, 

 to help that interest. We are here doing what we can to inter- 

 est the farmers of the State in their own occupation. We ask 

 them, for their own interests and the interests, of their children, 

 to encourage all that may seem to them, after due consideration, 

 to be of advantage to the interests of agriculture. For that 

 reason, in the course of our annual perambulations, we have 

 come among you ; and although we do not say anything in 

 disparagement of the hospitality with which we have been re- 

 ceived in other places, — at Concord, at Amherst, at Greenfield, 

 at Pittsfield, last year, — we only say, that nowhere have we seen 

 so much general interest manifested and so much hospitality 

 exhibited as have met us here. We cannot, therefore, but 

 thank you. I believe that our duties here are ended, and I am 

 sure that if we could, consistently with our duties, vote to see 

 you again next year, we would gladly do so. (Loud applause.) 

 The Board then adjourned, sine die. 



ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD. 



The Board met at the office of the Secretary in Boston, on 

 Monday, January 30, 1871, at twelve o'clock, Hon. Marshall 

 P. Wilder in the chair. 



Present — Messrs. Baker, Bassett, Birnie, I. K. Brown, Clark, 

 Clement, Davis, Durfee, Ellsworth, Fearing, Goodman, Hubbard, 

 Hyde, Johnson, Knowlton, Loring, Moore, Morton, Peck, Salton- 

 stall, Slade, Stone, Ward and Wilder. 



Messrs. Loring, Goodman and Clark were appointed a com- 

 mittee on the order of business. 



This committee subsequently submitted the following 



report: 

 1st. Reports of Delegates. 



2d. Reports of Committees on the subjects assigned to them. 

 3d. Report of the Committee on the Agricultural College. 



