MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 479 



making such recommendations to the various County Agricultural Societies, 

 with regard to premiums, as they may deem expedient. 



Resolved, That the matter of calling a future meeting of this board, be re- 

 ferred, with power, to the executive committee. 



Afternoon Session. 



The board met, according to adjournment, at a quarter past 

 3 o'clock, P. M., in the hall of the House of Representatives. 



The President read an interesting letter from Dr. Lee, on the 

 subject of a National Convention ; warmly commending the 

 project, and promising the concurrence of several States. 



A document from Hon. Abbott Lawrence, Minister to London, 

 regarding the National Agricultural Institution of Versailles, 

 addressed to Marshall P. Wilder, was presented to the board 

 by the President. The document was ordered to be accepted, 

 and referred to the executive committee, and the President 

 was requested to convey to Mr. Lawrence the thanks of this 

 board for his attentive kindness, and for tiis sympathy with 

 the objects of its organization. 



The resolutions on agricultural education, presented at the 

 last meeting of the board, were read and offered for discussion. 



Mr. Wilder, in submitting these resolutions, remarked that it 

 was a most extraordinary fact, that while the aid of science 

 has been invoked to all other callings, and while it has been 

 extended to the other interests of the State and country, by the 

 National or State governments, to this day not a dollar directly 

 has been contributed by our National Government to aid this 

 most important interest of agriculture. What we want now is 

 an institution to educate young farmers for their calling. He 

 closed by reading an extract from Dr. Lee's letter, in favor of 

 some such means as is proposed by the board, for the promo- 

 tion of a thorough and scientific agricultural education. 



Mr. Wheeler, of Framingham, spoke of the low ideas which 

 existed in his younger days, in regard to the education of the 

 farmer. It was thought if a boy learned to read, write, cipher, 

 and spell, he would make an excellent farmer. Too much of 

 this want of education exists at the present day, and farmers 

 are too willing to go on in the old way of their fathers. He 



