MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 673 



session of 1852, the legislature was induced, with great una- 

 nimity, to establish the present Board. That act has given a 

 still greater impetus to the cause, and it is evident that the 

 time has now come when the public mind is awakened, in 

 some degree, to the great importance of agricultural education. 

 The people begin to call for knowledge ; begin to have faith 

 that science can do something for the farmer, as well as for 

 the mechanic and artizan. 



Information, in one form or another, is what the farmer 

 needs. He must have it, and it must be brought to him. He 

 cannot resort to colleges. The mass of the people must be 

 educated at home, or not at all. We see and feel this in 

 regard to common school education. So it must be with 

 knowledge on the subject of agriculture. By Farmers' In- 

 stitutes, by public lectures, by its introduction into schools, 

 and all the usual modes of diffusing information, the science 

 of agriculture must be made familiar to the people, a majority 

 of whom are employed in that branch of industry, and all of 

 whom have a direct or indirect interest in it. 



Respectfully submitted, 



AM AS A WALKER, Secretary pro tern. 



Boston, Jan. 13, 1853. 



REPORTS OF DELEGATES. 



Soon after the organization of the State Board, a delegate 

 was appointed to attend the exhibition of each Agricultural 

 Society. Most of these delegates attended to the duty as- 

 signed them, and presented reports which were accepted by 

 the Board, and are published herewith, or such extracts from 

 them as our space will allow. 

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