120 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



also going forth far beyond the State boundaries as an 

 exponent of what is being done here in the interests of 

 agriculture. 



There are a few subjects which I will touch upon only 

 briefly, and which are either important to-day, or destined 

 soon to be requisites, in our general system of New England 

 farming. 



While my subject might lead one to suppose that I should 

 endeavor to explain to you new methods of farming by 

 which you could make that part of your land profitable 

 which to-day is useless, my object will really be to endeavor 

 to persuade Massachusetts farmers to consider more carefully 

 whether they cannot treat much of the land on their farms in 

 more profitable ways than those adopted by them to-day. 



The adaptability of crops to land is the subject that I 

 would urge farmers to carefully consider ; and to do so 

 intelligently, a study of the annual reports of this Board is 

 an admirable aid to the solution of the problem, whether it 

 be to change or modify existing methods, or to become as- 

 sured that the methods at present adopted are best suited to 

 the farms under consideration. 



Every possible influence should be judiciously used to aid 

 the Secretary of this Board, not only to secure a thorough 

 circulation of the reports, but to urge farmers to more gen- 

 erally and carefully read and study their contents. 



We should use every influence to make the good words 

 and advice that the reports contain fully felt and appreciated 

 by those farmers who do not now make a practice of seeking 

 and reading them. 



Is it not in the extension of agricultural knowledge among 

 the people of the State that we find the good influence of 

 the Agricultural College is being felt, besides the direct bene- 

 fit to the individuals who graduate from it ? 



I have heard some people criticise the college by saying 

 that too few graduates become farmers. Is that all that 

 young men go to the college for? By no means. Those 

 who do not turn practical farmers, become citizens whose 

 influence must be felt throughout the State or country, in 

 the field of agriculture ; and such men are on hand to protect 

 and foster the farming interests of the nation. 



