xvi BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



imiformly excellent as at Draciit. Tlie Lowell board of trade 

 tendered an excellent banquet to the Board and others attend- 

 ing the meeting on Wednesday evening. The principal 

 speakers were Dr. David Snedden, Commissioner of Educa- 

 tion, who made his first public appearance in Massachusetts 

 on this occasion, and Harold Parker, the chairman of the 

 Massachusetts Highway Commission. The lectures and selec- 

 tions from the discussions at the Dracut meeting will be found 

 elsc\vhere in this volume. 



The annual business meeting of the Board was held at 

 Boston, on Jan. 11 and 12, 1910, and special business meet- 

 ings were held at the summer meeting at Fitchburg and at 

 the public winter meeting. 



Agricultural Societies. 

 The agricultural societies generally enjoyed a prosperous 

 year. Only a few suffered from bad weather, and most of 

 them made some money, while a few were remarkably suc- 

 cessful financially. The exhibits were of the customary 

 high standard, the hall exhibits apparently suffering very 

 little from the dry weather. Perhaps one reason for this is 

 that the exhibitors at our fairs are among the more up-to-date 

 members of our farming population, and likely to give their 

 crops and orchards better and more careful attention than 

 their less progressive neighbors, all of which has its effect 

 on the products which they exhibit. 



The Board, at its last meeting, made certain changes in its 

 rules governing the payment of premiums by agi-icultural 

 societies. It would appear from the reports of the inspec- 

 tors that these rules were fully observed by the several so- 

 cieties. The inspectors report most of the societies to be in 

 good financial condition, with good grounds and buildings, 

 and their criticisms of the management of the fairs are of a 

 very minor character. All report that there were no objec- 

 tionable features or improper shows among the attractions 

 provided for the entertainment of the public. 



The sociclies deserve great credit for the way in which 

 they responded to the request of the l><>ard for financial as- 

 sistance for the New England Fruit Show. All but a few 



