4 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



attention of farmers. Your committee are of opinion that the interest 

 and the wishes of farmers, as a body, require that such experiments 

 should be made, and reliable results ascertained. The farm at West- 

 borough is admirably adapted for the purpose. 



The Trustees of the State Reform School and the State Board of 

 Agriculture are both children and agents of the State ; both Boards 

 were instituted and both labor for the same end — the good of the 

 State. The only question is, AVhich Board can most conveniently and 

 profitably have charge of a particular portion of State property ? 



Heretofore the farm has been improved and cultivated at the ex- 

 pense of the State, and the State has furnished consumers of all its 

 products, with the exception of small quantities of fruit, &c, which 

 have been sent to market. A much larger amount of agricultural pro- 

 ducts will be required for the establishment, and it is believed that, 

 under the best management, a much larger amount may be produced 

 without proportionate increase of expense. Further permanent im- 

 provements are required, and ought to be made, under either Board. 

 As the State consumes all the products of the farm, no money can be 

 realized from their sale, and consequently the State must furnish funds 

 to make necessary permanent improvements and pay current expenses. 



The members of the two Boards are unanimous in their views, and 

 an arrangement is contemplated by which the Trustees of the Reform 

 School will, at a stipulated price, furnish boys to work upon the farm, 

 and to a much greater extent than it has been heretofore found expe- 

 dient or profitable to employ them in agricultural labor ; and the Board 

 of Agriculture will supply the institution with milk, vegetables and 

 other needed products of the farm, do the cartage of coal, &c. Thus 

 the labor of the boys and the products of the farm will be applied for 

 the benefit of the State, substantially as heretofore, only under differ- 

 ent directions. 



The bulk of the farm will imdoubtedly continue to be carried on 

 under the usual improved modes of cultivation, while a small portion 

 will be devoted to the experiments of which Ave have spoken. 



George W. Hubbard, Chairman. 



The Legislature, never slow to encourage the interests of 

 agriculture whenever the means are shown to bo judicious and 

 practicable, passed the following 



ACT. 



Sect. 1. The Trustees of the State Reform School arc hereby au- 

 thorized to place under the charge of the State Board of Agriculture 



