246 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



It is more generally used for reference than ever before, 

 especially during the sessions of the legislature, and it is 

 important that some permanent fund should be provided bji^ 

 which the new publications should be procured as they appear. 



THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



Some progress has been made, since my last Annual Report, 

 in the establishment of an agricultural college under the Act 

 of Congress of July 2d, 1862. The Act of the legislature 

 creating a board of trustees, practically limited them in the 

 choice of a location, to those places which should raise by 

 subscription, of otherwise, the sum of seventy-five thousand 

 dollars for building purposes. Under this condition, but four 

 towns came forward, and, with great public spirit and liberality, 

 offered that amount, either in the form of a bona fide sub- 

 scription, or of a guarantee that they would comply with 

 the condition imposed by law. These places were Lexington, 

 Springfield, Northampton, and Amherst. h 



The trustees, after examining several locations with great 

 care and solicitude, came to a nearly unanimous decision to 

 locate the college in the town of Amherst, chiefly on the ground 

 that the farm lands, presented for their consideration, were 

 better adapted for the objects in view than those offered else- 

 where. The lands, consisting of about four hundred acres, were 

 accordingly purchased, and the preliminary steps taken for the 

 establishment of the college. This location was approved, after 

 examination, by the governor and council. 



Whatever may be said of the action of the trustees in regard 

 to the matter of location, it is probable that any impartial body 

 of men, appointed as agents of the State to act under similar 

 circumstances, with all the information necessary to a decision 

 placed in their possession, would have come to the same 

 conclusion. If there is any reasonable ground of complaint, 

 therefore, in regard to the question of location, it can hardly 

 be made against the action of the trustees. They did what 

 they thought to be for the best interests of the State and the 

 institution, so far as it was in their power under the law. 



It is to be hoped, therefore, that there will be a general 

 acquiescence in the decision, and that the agricultural com- 

 munity will cooperate with the trustees in establishing an 



