486 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. Sprague, President of the Plymouth Society, spoke of 

 the pleasure he had experienced at these meetings. The 

 opinion was expressed by farmers from all parts of the Com- 

 monwealth that more agricultural knowledge is needed in our 

 own State ; and this unanimity of opinion strengthened very 

 much the hands of those engaged in this movement. He 

 believed it cost more to raise a bushel of grain in New England 

 than in any other country, — owing to the sterility of the soil. 

 This disadvantage is to be overcome, — and he believed it could 

 be done by farmers better understanding the duties of their pro- 

 fession. It was difficult to fix upon a plan for extending this 

 education. Different schemes were proposed. He was willing 

 to begin with a commissioner of high scientific attainments, 

 who, if thought advisable, might be summoned by a board 

 composed of the presidents of the incorporated agricultural so- 

 cieties. This board should offer premiums for experiments 

 calculated to throw light upon practical farming; these experi- 

 ments to be made under the direction of the commissioners, 

 and the premium to be paid by the State. In this way much 

 valuable information might be obtained. 



Dr. Gardner, of Seekonk, hoped the propositions which had 

 been advanced might be carried out. He would like to see an 

 agricultural school, though he believed the better course would 

 be, to disseminate agricultural information by means of the 

 district schools. He would also advocate the establishment of 

 an agricultural professorship in every college in the State. 

 This course, he thought, would reach a far larger number of 

 farmers or farmers' sons, than one exclusively agricultural 

 school. 



Rev. Dr. Choules said, the suggestion of the appointment of 

 a commissioner, as made by Mr. Sprague, struck him favora- 

 bly. Associated with such a commissioner, there might be ten 

 or twelve persons to go through the various school districts in 

 the State, and lecture upon the importance of scientific educa- 

 tion to the farmer. Meetings such as these are important, but 

 much might be accomplished by going right among the farm- 

 ers themselves, in their school districts, and talking familiarly 

 with them upon the subject. This course would make an al- 



