10 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



several gentlemen, desirous of forming an association for 

 encouraging: the cultivation of fruits and flowers, and exciting 

 a higher interest in the growth of all the products of the field, 

 the orchard, and the garden, and to disseminate and spread 

 abroad useful knowledge and the results of experience and 

 observation tending to improve and encourage horticulture, 

 made their first organization by choosing the late Dr. John 

 Green president, with the late Dr. Samuel Woodward and 

 the Hon. Stephen Salisbury vice-presidents, and ten trustees. 



The society held its first exhibition on October 13, 14, and 

 15, 1840, in the Town Hall. The exhibition comprised little 

 else than a meagre and confused collection of apples and pears, 

 of which only a few were designated correctly by name, a 

 very few quite ordinary vegetables, with some fruits and 

 flowers contributed by gentlemen residing in the vicinity of 

 Boston. 



The late George Jaques, while president of the society, in 

 his address before the society on the occasion of awarding 

 the premiums offered by the society in September, 1863, spoke 

 as follows in relation to the early period of the society's work, 

 in contrast with the results of the fair in which he was speak- 

 ing : " It is now twenty -three years since the preliminary 

 steps were taken toward the formation of this society. 

 Those who remember the condition of horticulture in central 

 Massachusetts then, in 1840, contrasted with what we may 

 well be proud of now, in 1863, will hardly accuse me of 

 extravagance in asserting, that the progress which we have 

 made in less than a quarter of a century, is greater and of 

 more value than all that horticultural science and industry 

 had previously accomplished here, since the wolf and savage 

 prowled over the grounds where all this profusion of beauty 

 around you was grown." 



When we reflect that, for the period siuce 1863 to the pres- 

 ent time, the society's exhibitions have been regularly pro- 

 gressive, — when we reflect upon what has been accomplished 

 by the introduction of new fruits, many having their origin in 

 this county, that have won the admiration of horticulturists 

 wherever grown, — we surely have cause for greater encourage- 

 ment, and may hope for still greater acquisitions through the 

 influence of this society, — a society which the father of this 



