No. 4.] RURAL PROGRESS. 151 



that there are some hill towns of New England, once its 

 glory and pride, that have fallen to decay. But I believe, 

 if New England agriculture has been besieged, help is com- 

 ing. I think I catch the note of the pibroch. I think I 

 see coming over the New England hills the army of relief. 

 Over on the left wing there are banners, and on these ban- 

 ners is inscribed the word " Science." And I see men there 

 with the microscope and the chemical test tube, trying to 

 bring to light the hidden secrets of nature, and to lay those 

 secrets at the feet of the farmers of New England. Over 

 on the right wing I see a banner, and on it is written, 

 "Education." And I see an army of men and women 

 bringing to bear upon all the problems of agriculture the 

 great force of intellectual training in the common schools, 

 in agricultural high schools, in agricultural colleges. And 

 in the centre of that army I think 1 see the advancing forces 

 of "Co-operation," which are bringing together, shoulder 

 to shoulder, the masses of farmers, thus educating them, 

 training them, developing them. I think I see that entire 

 army, wings and centre, marching to the relief of New Eng- 

 land agriculture. I think I see the l)anner of rural progi-ess 

 once more flying aloft, and I think I am witness of the dawn 

 of the ffolden aoe of New England ao;riculture. 



The Chair. Any one who had watched your faces as I 

 have would feel safe in saying that you have enjoyed every 

 word of the lecture. Perhaps it is well to be proud that we 

 have made some advance, but still we ought to remember 

 that we haven't made the advance we should. The great 

 possibilities of agriculture as set forth by the lecturer ought 

 to do every one of us good. 



Mr. Wm. H. Bowker (of Boston). It is good to hear 

 from this man from the west, and his hopeful views touching 

 New England agriculture. Perhaps he is one of the many 

 agents which the west is to return to us, to help us to solve 

 these problems. I am not on my feet, however, to speak 

 particularly of the problems that have been discussed here, 

 but more particularly to ask the lecturer to describe some- 

 what more in detail his method of what he calls extension 



