458 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



beautiful, to meet with well-executed reports on agricultural 

 topics. The writers of such reports deserve all thanks for the 

 example they set to others ; and it is worthy of consideration, 

 whether a liberal premium might not be awarded by all our 

 societies, to the authors of the fullest and best reports that are 

 presented to them. The same remark might be made in ref- 

 erence to the best statement of competitors for premiums. 



This society has, for a series of years, made it their practice 

 to secure gentlemen of rare scientific attainments, to deliver the 

 address at their anniversary. They have thus been enabled to 

 reap a rich harvest from the intellectual seed, which is annu- 

 ally, and, as it were, broadcast, sown among them. They 

 were equally fortunate the last year and the present, in having 

 as their agricultural teacher, Dr. Daniel Lee, of the agricultural 

 department of the Patent Office, at Washington. Fortunate 

 will it be for all our societies, when they can obtain such men 

 to address them ; more fortunate still, when they shall feel the 

 want of such men, and zealously seek after them. The dignity 

 and independence of the farmer have too long been the theme 

 of our agricultural addresses ; too long have our orators flattered 

 the vanity of farmers, and persuaded them to rest satisfied with 

 the improvements already efl'ected in their husbandry. The 

 time is at hand — if it has not already arrived — when agricul- 

 ture, not as it is, but as it may be ordered^ must be the subject 

 of discourse ; when the means of advancing it, must be pointed 

 out, and the minds of thinking farmers excited to new efforts 

 and higher attainments. 



In conclusion, your delegate would state that the address of 

 Dr. Lee was followed, at the dinner table, by remarks of a 

 similar purport, — illustrating and enforcing the necessity of 

 science to the full development of the resources of our soil. 

 The visit of your delegate was to him most interesting and 

 profitable, and he can only regret that from the rich field 

 into which he was sent, he had not brought home to you 

 more sheaves. 



ALLEN W. DODGK. 



