98 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



milk-dealers commence in the business honorable, honest men, 

 l)ut they fiill into bad habits, — you knoAV we are swayed by 

 habit and custom ; we do not know to what extent our associa- 

 tions influence us, — and they presume upon the confidence of 

 their customers, until their presumption, at some unguarded 

 moment, will turn water into their milk. Why, there is 

 nothing more dangerous than presumption. Samson presumed 

 upon his strength, and pulled the tower upon his head. Solo- 

 mon presumed upon his wisdom, and became a fool, in some 

 respects. Bonaparte presumed upon his military prowess, 

 and died upon St. Helena. Tweed and Fisk presumed upon 

 the money they had stolen from others, and one died, and the 

 other, when charged with his stealings, straightened himself 

 up and said, "What are you going to do about it?" And a 

 man may presume upon his honesty until he becomes a rogue 

 in the milk business as well as in the superphosphate business. 



Adjourned to seven and a half o'clock. 



Evening Session. 



THE IMPORTANCE, PROGRESS AND INFLUENCE OF RURAL 



PURSUITS. 



BY HON. MAKSnALL P. WILDER. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: — I have accepted 

 the invitation to address you this evening, not from the expec- 

 tation of communicating much that is new, and even at the 

 risk of repeating some thoughts that I may have uttered on 

 other occasions. But having been intimately associated with 

 this Board at its organization, and honored for so many years 

 with a voice in its councils, I could not decline any service 

 which it might be in my power to render. 



I have selected for the theme of my subject of this evening, 

 the importance, progress and injluence of rural jmr suits. 



I had not the pleasure to hear the lecture of Secretary Flint, 

 and I fear I may travel over some of the ground which he has 

 so ably surveyed. 



To enforce the importance of rural pursuits before this en- 

 lightened audience, or to illustrate by an extended eulogium 



