168 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



there were millions of sheep in that State. The reason was, that 

 there, sheep were superior to dogs, while in Massachusetts dogs 

 were superior to sheep, and the farmers had made them so. 



The discussion terminated by the appointment of a committee 

 of three, on motion of Mr. Smith, consisting of Messrs. Loring, 

 Taft and Stockbridge, to memorialize the legislature upon the 

 subject of a dog law. The meeting then adjourned, to meet at 

 half past seven o'clock in the evening. 



Evening Session. — Met agreeably to adjournment. Dr. Loring 

 in the chair. The hall was well filled by the ladies and gentle- 

 men of Greenfield and vicinity, attracted by the fame of the dis- 

 tinguished gentleman who had been announced as the lecturer 

 of the evening. 



ORIGIN OF AGRICULTURAL SOILS. 



BY PROF. AGASSIZ. 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — I propose this evening to introduce 

 the same subject which was discussed here yesterday — the 

 origin of the agricultural soils of the Northern States. And in 

 so doing, my intention is to show you how different may be the 

 manner of treating the same subject, and with how different 

 topics we may have to deal when inquiring into the same 

 matter. During these few days, in the discussions of the State 

 Board of Agriculture, I have witnessed a frequent disagreement 

 in the statements of the gentlemen present who have taken 

 part in the discussion, owing chiefly to the fact, that one class 

 of facts related to one place, and the other class of facts to 

 another place ; and I want to lay before you the evidence, that 

 the differences on our subject-matter may be owing to the fact, 

 that though we treat of the same subject, we are considering it 

 with reference to one locality, and not to another. Yesterday, 

 Prof. Rogers gave you an account of the origin of the soil of 

 that great belt of our country, which extends from the Atlantic 

 across the Alleghanies into the great West. I propose to give 

 you an account of the origin of the soil of the more Northern 

 States; and you will see that I might have introduced this 

 lecture by saying that I would discuss before you the glaciers 

 of Switzerland. Tliese two sulyects seem to have no connection, 

 and yet they are most intimately allied. 



