MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 483 



plied ? Will it not be best done by educating and fitting them 

 to pursue their employment with intelligence and success. 



But first and foremost, should the State take this matter 

 under its own fostering and guardian care. Let there be estab- 

 lished a department of agriculture, analogous to that of educa- 

 tion, to whom shall be entrusted the entire supervision and 

 direction of all matters connected with this subject, and soon 

 will it occur to them to mark out the path of improvement. 

 Until such a board is established, no appropriation of money is 

 asked. And when established, the probability is, no expense 

 will be incident thereto, except that of sustaining a competent 

 secretary — all of whose time will be required, in connection 

 with the operations of the board. Surely no valid objection 

 can be made to an appropriation so trifling, compared with the 

 benefits to be gained. Much has been, and may be said in 

 relation to the education of the farmer. Some say this can be 

 done best, by establishing agricultural teachers, in the existing 

 colleges and schools. That teachers of this description may 

 be advantageously introduced, no one will for a moment 

 doubt; — and that it would be highly useful for all, whatever 

 occupation they contemplate, to know something of the science 

 of agriculture, will be readily granted ; but that the smattering 

 of information there attained will be adequate to the object in 

 view, no one acquainted with it can for a moment believe. 

 Agriculture is a science — a science most complicated, and difli- 

 cult to be understood. Its perfect comprehension needs a com- 

 bination of all the other sciences ; — chemistry, geology, botany, 

 and mathematics, are all involved in the study of the science 

 of agriculture. No one can hope to master this science, with- 

 out becoming an adept, in each and all the others. It is not 

 sufficient to learn them technically and formally — but he must 

 enter into the philosophy of them, and understand the reasons 

 of the changes brought about. 



Mr. Bagg, of the Hampden Society, spoke of the necessity 

 of the appointment of a body of men competent for the work — 

 who should collect and embody the facts which exist now 

 among farmers, and arrange them for the benefit of the com- 

 munity at large. Thrift, he said, was the invariable attendant 



