Proceedings of the Winter Meeting. 



The annual Winter Meeting of the Society was held in Music 

 Hall, Farmington, on Thursday and Friday, February 3d and 4th, 

 1887. The invitation to the Society- to hold its meeting in this in- 

 teresting part of the State was made by the Franklin County Agri- 

 cultural Society, the Farmington Grange, and the citizens of Farm- 

 ington. The local committee of arrangements consisted of M. C. 

 Hobbs, West Farmington ; D. H. Knowlton and S. R. Leland, 

 Farmington, and Edward W. Hall, Chesterville ; and the success of 

 the meeting, one of the largest and most profitable the Societ\' has 

 ever held, is due in great measure to the excellent arrangements and 

 earnest work of these gentlemen. The forenoon of the first da}' of 

 the convention was devoted to a business meeting of the Societ}', at 

 which the annual reports of the Seci'etary and Treasurer were pre- 

 sented, the election of officers for the ensuing 3'ear made, and reports 

 of committees presented. The details of these several matters, with 

 a list of the members of the Societ}', are found in other parts of 

 this report. 



FIRST DAY. AFTERNOON. 



The Society met at 1.30 P. M., President Charles S. Pope, Esq., 

 in the chair. Hon. J. G. Hoyt of Farmington was then introduced, 

 who delivered the Address of Welcome. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



By Hon. J. G. Hoyt. 



Mr. President: Because it has been assigned to me to open this 

 convention with a few remarks, it should not be assumed that I am 

 qualified to impart instruction upon the subject which you have 

 assembled to consider to-day, for there are many resident gentlemen 



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