434 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



conflict, to patient, persevering, arduous effort, and accustoming 

 it, by these means, to overcome every obstacle. 



Such tnind has resources, — resources flowing at every step 

 of its progress. Such mind can never be entirely baffled; it is 

 made enthusiastic by difficulties, and is never enervated by 

 success. Such mind viust accomplish its purpose, and will, 

 even though the "iron be dull." Such mind, applied to the 

 cultivation of the soil, will never assume the garb of the men- 

 dicant and "beg in harvest." 



Let us remember that if the State provide the means and ap- 

 pliances for a scientific course of agricultural study, the young 

 man must " wake up from his drowsy nap," and qualify him- 

 self " to go up higher." 



Remarks of William S. King, of R. L : — The two great evils 

 agriculture has to contend against, are torpor and prejudice. 

 That old torpor has been driven away by the persevering efforts 

 of societies. They began their operation, — and I am not so 

 young but what I remember their commencement, — and have 

 continued their exertions faithfully to the present time. Men 

 found that the secret in every combat was combination. 



But there is a terrible power yet to encounter ; and that is 

 prejudice. How is this prejudice to be encountered ? It is to 

 be encountered by education. The man with maturity of years 

 has grown up with all his prejudices. The old gnarled oak 

 must stand as the winter of its youth has left it; but the young 

 twig remains to be trained in the way it should grow. 



Let the young farmer learn, at the start, that his occupation 

 is the noblest of all. Let him remember that Washington 

 called it " the most useful, the most healthy, and the most 

 noble occupation of man." We want nothing stronger than 

 that. Let him know that the farmer's path can be the path to 

 greatness. There are men, I might say, perhaps, within the 

 sound of my voice, who have passed directly from behind the 

 plough almost to the pinnacle of political honors. ^ 



On motion of Mr. Denny, , 



Voted, That the Central Board, provided for in the second 

 resolution, consist of three delegates from each incorporated 



