popular clamor, perhaps too defiant of the revolutionary 

 thought of hi* time, he pursued his stern and steady 

 way through life as a statesman, and at last sought re- 

 pose as an intelligent, practical farmer on his native 

 soil. It is for others to record his important service as 

 a public servant during the most trying days of our re- 

 public ; but it is for us to remember that he was one of 

 the pioneer farmers of this county ; that he was one of 

 the most accurate of our early agricultural investigators; 

 and that during the ten years of his Presidency he filled 

 the records of this Society with his sound practical ob- 

 servations and his wise inferences. It was said of him 

 at his death — " How much the Society is indebted to his 

 exertions is well known to all acquainted with its opera- 

 tions. His high reputation, his knowledge of agricul- 

 ture and zeal for its advancement, combined with a read- 

 iness and hapi^y talent in communicating information, 

 either orally or in writing, enabled him to render proba- 

 bly greater services than would have been in the power 

 of any other individual." " It may be mentioned as an 

 instance of his zeal for the Society, that but a few weeks 

 before his decease he wrote the memorial, presented on 

 their behalf to the Legislature, for a continuance of the 

 grant to the Agricultural Societies of this State." His 

 Presidency extended from 1818 to 1828, and was the 

 last public office held by him. The memorial presented 

 by this Society to the family of Colonel Pickering, after 

 his decease, was a tribute of respect and regard alike 

 worthy of himself and of those whom he had so long 

 and so faithfully served. And his farm at Wenham, 

 where he applied those jDrinciples of agriculture which 

 he so carefully investigated, now bearing the marks of 

 his industry, reminds us ever of his devotion to the 



