WELCOME TO FITCHBURG. 9 



have commerce ; these all stand together, but they stand like 

 pillars in a cluster, the largest in the centre and that largest is 

 agriculture." 



These truthful words were spoken many years ago by 

 Daniel Webster, and, while the manufacturing and commer- 

 cial interests of the country have made gigantic strides in 

 progress, they are none the less truthful to-day than they 

 were when they fell from the lips of the departed statesman 

 and farmer. No pains have been spaied to give publicity to 

 this meeting, and it is hoped that such audiences will be 

 assembled here as will assure you that your selection of this 

 place for the holding of this meeting was a wise one, a 

 judicious one and a happy one. That we need in our agri- 

 cultural interest in Worcester North the influences of the 

 deliberations, discussions, essays and lectures that are to be 

 had here, cannot be gainsaid ; and there is vast opportunity 

 for successfully and profitably increasing this main pillar of 

 industry in our midst. Here we have a ready market at 

 remunerative prices for all the various products of the soil, 

 but it is believed that our ftirmers would not fail to receive 

 satisfiictory returns in the specialties of small fruits and 

 garden vegetables. 



Very little butter is produced here that finds its way to 

 market ; and cheese of home manufacture is rarely seen in 

 our stores. Not a can of milk produced here is sent away; 

 on the contrary, Leominster, Lunenburg, Ashby and West- 

 minster contribute largely to our supply. 



It is safe to say that not one-fourth of the quantity of 

 lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, pease, beans, celery, beets, 

 turnips, cabbages and squashes consumed by our people are 

 the product of our own soil. We are dependent upon the 

 Boston markets for the larger part of our supply of these 

 necessary articles of daily diet. In small fruits, the field is 

 larger still for their disposition. No adequate supply of 

 strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, currants and other 

 small fruits has ever been found in our markets and a large 

 proportion of what we have had, has come from abroad. 

 It is hoped that a greater interest in this direction may be 

 infused by the transactions of this meeting. 



Welcome to the hospitalities of our citizens and to our 



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