34: BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to insure success, until by increased expenses and competi- 

 t;i0n of other societies, it was found to be necessary to secure 

 grounds of their own, which were purchased and fitted up 

 cit a large expense in 18G5, and have been used since then. 

 The purchase of these grounds incurred a heavy debt which 

 has been burdensome to the Society, but I am happy to say 

 to-day, in the last few years it has been mostly extinguished. 

 Being exclusively in a dairy region, our exhibition of dairy 

 stock has been made a specialty, and has been among the 

 largest and best of the State. The exhibition of grade and 

 thoroughbred Holsteins and Jerseys entered entirely from 

 this immediate vicinity has been the prominent feature of 

 our fairs of late years. It gives me pleasure to speak of the 

 increased interest in stock-raising, the increase of capital 

 invested, and the improvement of many of our herds. 

 Whichever way you go from this hall, east or west, north 

 or south, you will find grazing farms on every hand, and 

 many barns filled vnth. thoroughbred stock. The fiirmers of 

 this Society have always been noted for their excellent dairy 

 stock ; but in recent years a greater study and skill m breed- 

 ing and greater care of the herds, will show to you some 

 fine herds, which are owned by men who make farming a 

 business, not a plaything, and who spend their money for a 

 liberal return. I hope you may have the opportunity while 

 you are here to visit some of these farms. Fifty years ago 

 it was milk, and it is milk to-day ; and while it is still the 

 chief production of these farms, its use has entirely changed 

 since the formation of this Society. We have made great 

 chauo'es in the methods of our farmino; and the manner of 

 our living ; farm machinery has been brought into use, but in 

 this line there has been no greater cliange than in the dispo- 

 sition of milk. At that time every farm had its cheese- 

 press, and every housewife had her reputation in Fancuil 

 Hall market as a dairy woman. The manufacture of domes- 

 tic cheese was large and was the chief income of this vicinity. 

 Twelve years later came the cheese-factory, removing many 

 of the burdens of dairy farming from the household, and for 

 a series of years was the great receptacle for nearly all the 

 milk produced. Thousands of tons of the best cheese ever 

 made have been made in these factoi'ies (and I might say 



