PUBLIC WINTER MEETING OF THE BOARD, 



AT SOUTH FRAMINGHAM. 



The annual public winter meeting of the Board, for 

 lectures and discussions, was held in Union Hall, South 

 Framingham, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, De- 

 cember 3, 4: and 5. The lectures were especially good, each 

 speaker taking great pains to deal with his subject in a com- 

 plete and lucid manner. This resulted in discussions of the 

 various topics, which were of unusual interest and value and 

 were participated in by a large proportion of those present. 



The meeting was called to order at 10.30 a.m., on Tuesday, 

 by Secretary Ellsworth, who then introduced Mr. John P. 

 Bowditch of Framingham, chairman of the board of select- 

 men and president of the Middlesex South Agricultural So- 

 ciety, who delivered the address of welcome. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME, BY JOHNT P. BOWDITCH. 



I consider the town of Framingham very fortunate, in- 

 deed, in having the State Board of Agriculture hold its 

 meeting here this week. I also think that the State Board 

 is fortunate in having its meeting in a town where the latch- 

 string of welcome is always hanging outside, and where every 

 hand is ready to shake the hand of the stranger in welcome 

 and take him to the fire and the board. I also think you are 

 fortunate in coming to such a center of agriculture, for Mid- 

 dlesex County ranks second of all the counties in the State 

 in the value of its agricultural products, and the town of 

 Framingham holds fortieth place of 350 towns in the State 

 in the value of its agricultural products. 



The importance of agriculture, I think, no one can deny. 

 It is the basis of everything, the backbone of every country ; 

 and if any one doubts this assertion at any time I think he 

 would be very quickly reminded by the inner man if there 



