10 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



criiig demand existed for a new society. Tlie smallness of this 

 meeting was evidence that this idea was a correct one. If the 

 old society was ineffectual for good, but would do good on the 

 suggestions of parties who were anxious on the sulyect, if puslied 

 on to action, there was no more needed. The natural effect of 

 this meeting would be, in liis mind, to urge the members of the 

 old society to a more decided action. The formation of the 

 proposed society would interfere with the relations of the district 

 agricultural societies and the Board of Agriculture. As things 

 now stood, the machinery worked well, and in complete har- 

 mony, and it would be very injudicious to disturb its present 

 movements. 



Mr. Wilder paid a high compliment to the value and effi- 

 ciency of the old society, and coinmendcd the advantages its 

 members had procured for the Massachusetts farmers. The 

 consequences of tlieir publications had been beneficial to a 

 wonderful degree. Tliey had im])orted many valuable cattle, 

 and were ready to do it again. They were men of the strictest 

 integrity, and the funds under their care were, doubtless, prop- 

 erly spent. There was a complaint that it was difficult to get 

 access to the society, but this was not precisely the case. 

 Members from all quarters could be admitted, but there was a 

 rule, he believed, which required that something should be 

 Icnovv^n of the parties admitted. Mr. Wilder read an extract 

 from a letter from a gentleman of eminence, wdiich de])recated 

 any interference witli the existing State society, as it would bo 

 the cause of much injury to the agriculture of the State. He 

 made the statements (embodied above) in justice to the parties 

 to wiiom tlicy alluded, and gave the extract from the letter, 

 without at the same time suggesting any action of this meeting. 



Mr. Lewis, of Framingham, said tliat all that was required 

 was that the old society should be awakened to a consciousness 

 of tlieir existence and functions, and that there should be an 

 infusion of more active blood into it. If it was in any shape 

 possible to bring about these tilings, there was no more required, 

 and if tliis meeting was the means of causing any rattling among 

 the dry bones, it would do about all it had a design to do. 



Hon. B. V. French spoke in laudatory terms of the past 

 efforts of t]ie State Association, and enumerated many recent 

 actions in the way of agricultural improvemGiit, whicli were 

 equally public spirited and judicious. He specified the aj^pro- 

 priation, last year, of $1,000 fur the best mowing machine, 

 among other acts of the society. The tales about feastings and 

 drinkings of wine wliich were paid out of the public funds, were 

 fabulous. He admitted that the complaints were getting loud, 

 that the society was becoming a little too conservative ; but they 

 were, as he heard, willing to go more ahead in future. As a 

 good beginning, they had taken out of their own pockets, 



