PUBLIC WINTER MEETING OF THE BOARD, 



AT ATHOL. 



The annual public winter meeting of the State Board of 

 Agriculture was held at Athol, on Tuesday, Wednesday and 

 Thursda\% December 1, 2 and 3, four of the meetings being 

 held in the Academy of Music, and one each in the Opera 

 House and hall of the Youno- Men's Christian Association. 

 The first meetins; was called to order by Secretary Ellsworth, 

 at 10 A.M. 



Secretary Ellsavorth. Ladies and gentlemen, in the 

 absence of the Governor, who is president of this Board, 

 I now have the honor to introduce the Hon. William R. 

 Sessions, first vice-president, who will take charge of the 



morning session. 



The Chair. You see by the programme what is [)repared 

 for us, so of course you. will expect no remarks from me at 

 this time. The time-honored custom of this Board has been 

 to open this session of the winter meeting by asking divine 

 blessing, and Rev. R. G. Bugbee of this place will now offer 

 prayer. 



Prayer was then offered by Mr. Bugbee. 



The Chair. We have never met before in the town of 

 Athol, and the good people here have tendered to us a wel- 

 come which the chairman of the selectmen, Mr. Hapgood, 

 will voice. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME, BY MR. HERBERT L. HAP- 

 GOOD, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN. 

 Mr. President, members of the State Board and friends, 

 as representative of our townspeople, I extend to you a 

 most hearty welcome. We thoroughly realize our needs 

 along the lines of agriculture, and it is with pleasurable 

 anticipation that we await the intellectual discussions of land 



