AMHERST IN THE FOREGROUND. 237 



EVENING SESSION. 



At the opening of the evening session, the Chairman intro- 

 duced Dr. Hartwell, of Southbridge, who returned the thanks 

 of the Board to the citizens of Amherst for the courteous and 

 liberal hospitality extended to them during the meeting. He 

 said : — 



Ladies and Gentlemen of Amherst, — The members of the 

 Board of Agriculture, in connection with their predecessors, 

 thank you most sincerely for your hospitality in so liberally pro- 

 viding for their physical necessities ; they thank you for the 

 honor you have conferred upon them by your presence during 

 their deliberations ; they thank you for opening and warming 

 and lighting this beautiful hall ; they thank you for your patience 

 in listening to their disjointed discussions. Pray remember that 

 the gentlemen composing this Board of Agriculture and their 

 predecessors, with few exceptions, have not been educated in the 

 abstruse sciences at the polytechnic schools. We have learned 

 our lessons patiently, practically and most laboriously upon the 

 farm. Yet we trust and believe, that if you will examine with 

 care and circumspection, you Avill find, amid the debris of our 

 discussion, some pearls. 



Tlie gentlemen from whom you have heard addresses stand 

 pre-eminent in connection with the subjects upon which they 

 have so ably instructed us. The gentleman who so graphically 

 delineated his theme last evening, (Prof. Agassiz,) has no supe- 

 rior in his profession in this country or in Europe. 



Ladies and gentlemen, we shall leave this place to-morrow 

 morning with the most pleasant and lively emotions, emanating 

 from the high consideration of your kindness and attention to 

 us ; and in the future, when we shall come to ruminate upon 

 the past, foremost in our memories will stand Amherst. 



The Chairman. Ladies and gentlemen, it becomes my duty, 

 and affords me much pleasure, to be able to introduce to you, 

 as the lecturer this evening, a gentleman who is eminent in agri- 

 culture, and who has labored long and well and eloquently in 

 the cause. I have the pleasure of introducing to you Dr. 

 George B. Loring, of Salem. 



