reaper has been busy among our chief men, and an unusually 

 larg^e number of our most honored and honorable members 

 have jjassed away. There was Edward H. Little, of New- 

 bury, George W. Boynton, of Georgetown, Samuel Moody, 

 of West Newbury, Thomas J. Clark, of Salisbury, Moses 

 P. Payson, of Eowley, Thomas E. Payson, formerly of 

 Rowley, Andrew Dodge, of Hamilton, Henry A. King, of 

 Peabody, all of them good men and true. Peace to their 

 ashes, and all honor to their memory. 



In addressing you to-day, I am somewhat perplexed in 

 making choice of a subject for your consideration. Not that 

 the rauofe of thought is at all limited, but more because it is 

 spacious ; and my perplexity is increased as I contemplate 

 the long list of honored personages who have discoursed to 

 you upon almost every subject connected with your high vo- 

 cation. "Surely what shall the man do that comes after the 

 King's ?" As I looked abroad over the varied list of subjects, 

 several of them have invited my attention. The soil we till 

 has not been exhausted yet ! The crops we cultivate are so 

 numerous and varied in their nature and their adaptation to 

 soil and climate, as well as the means of transporting them 

 to market, that we might spend an hour profitably in their 

 consideration. The cattle that graze in our pastures, or stand 

 in our stalls, present a most interesting subject, and as I was 

 thinking of these, my old familiar friend, the family Horse, 

 called my attention to his condition and wants, and asked me 

 to speak in his behalf, or at least to ask this venerable Society 

 why it is that the ungainl}'' Ox is allowed to pull and back the 

 heaviest load possible, to the grbat admiration of his owner, 

 and the winning of the first premiums ? And why the drafb 

 Horse is allowed and encouraged to lift at the cart or the 



