RELATION OF THE ARTS. 285 



Joseph S. Perry of Worcester exhibited three Cabbages, 

 Mangolds, English Turnips, Swedes, and Carrots. 



Joab Hapgood of Shrewsbury had Field Corn, eight-rowed. 



J. P. Eaton of Auburn exhibited Field Corn. 



George H. Rice of Worcester had specimens of Citron. 



For the Committee, 



O. B. Hadwen, Chairman. 

 The report was accepted. 



Mr. Vincent presented the following essay upon — 



ART AND AGRICULTURE— THEIR RELATIONS TO EACH OTHER. 



A false notion has gained possession of many minds in 

 regard to the respectability of the farmer's occupation, 

 especially as relates to the actual work of tilling the soil. 

 We say it is a false notion, for farming is a heaven-originated 

 employment, just that to which man by his constitution was 

 adapted and that to the pursuit of which he was directed. 

 So, not only Adam was a farmer, but also Cain and Abel, his 

 sons ; the latter, it would seem, in the stock-raising depart- 

 ment, and the former in the real cultivation of the ground. 

 Aud thus, as the world progressed, agriculture in its varied 

 forms became the chief employment, and, we think it legiti- 

 mate to conclude, the most ennobling to which mankind 

 could have been assigned. 



While in tropical regions almost all needful plants and 

 fruits grow spontaneously or with comparatively little care, 

 in the temperate and colder climates the chief peaceful avo- 

 cation of men has been that of agriculture. As evidence of 

 this, we find in the Book of books frequent reference to acts 

 and scenes in husbandry. The Psalmist speaks of "the hand- 

 ful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountain," the 

 fruit whereof should "shake like Lebanon." In one of the 

 parables of the Great Teacher, it was said of the seeds sown, 

 that "some seed fell by the way-side, . . . some fell upon 

 stony places, . . . and some fell among thorns ; . . . but 

 other fell into good ground." One speaks of "the earth 

 which drinketh in the rain that cometh upon it, and bringeth 



