12 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



a more rapid improvement in agriculture the system of tenantry 

 must be abolished, and the cultivator must be the owner of the 

 soil ; " and that " the want of chemical knowledge " has " re- 

 tarded the advancement of agriculture." He recommended 

 the foundation of agricultural schools. 



Hon. Henry K. Oliver addressed the society September 80, 

 1852, at Lawrence. " Let me then commend to you books on 

 farming," said he, " and the farming of books." " And of 

 education, as the bringing-out of the man into all possible 

 physical, intellectual and moral perfectness, — for that is edu- 

 cation, — may your tongues and mine never cease to speak in 

 terms of highest honor." 



Hon. Joseph S. Cabot, in addressing the society at Lawrence, 

 September 29, 1853, said, " Agriculture, like every other sci- 

 ence, is one of progress, and that, too, in accordance with the 

 greater or less advancement of society." He also adds, " What- 

 ever means may be adopted for the purpose, one rule with re 

 spect to cultivation may be safely laid down as an established 

 axiom, and that is, that no land will produce a remunerative 

 crop unless it contains, or is made to contain, an adequate sup- 

 ply of vegetable nutriment, the labor of cultivation remaining 

 under all circumstances nearly the same." His speech was a 

 valuable essay on fruit culture. 



R. S. Fay, Esq., spoke at Lawrence, September 28, 1854. He 

 urged the use of labor-saving machines and a liberal supply of 

 manure. He said also, " The establishment of regular markets 

 or fair-days throughout the county, at the most accessible points, 

 would be a very great advantage to a farming community like 

 ours." He proposed the planting of forest trees and the pro- 

 tection of birds. 



Dr. James R. Nichols, who delivered the address at Haver- 

 hill, September 27, 1855, dwelt vipon the value of agricultural 

 -chemistry. He discussed the qualities of various kinds of 

 manures, and added, " I have said enough, I trust, to accom- 

 plish my object, which has been to show the husbandman how 

 intimately connected is chemistry with his vocation, how much 

 he has learned from it, and how much it is able to teach him." 



Ben. Perlcy Poore, Esq., delivered the address at Newbury- 

 port, October 2, 1856. It was an interesting historical sketch 

 of the agriculture of the country from the earliest days, and 



