INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 23 



public favor, as is evinced not only bj the large numbers that attend 

 the Shows, but by the increased number of names that from year 

 to year is added to the rolls of the Society. For the last six years 

 there has been an average accession of fifty new members a year, 

 and nearly one hundred the present year, whilst only an average of 

 nine persons a year joined the Society during the six years dating 

 from 18-10. This has been a spontaneous increase, without special 

 effort; or solicitation by the Trustees. Haverhill and Bradford have 

 this season set an example that may well be followed, especially by 

 the towns where the Shows are held ; about forty citizens of the form- 

 er and twenty of the latter having taken certificates of membership. 



Fortunate it is that we are thus receiving a fresh infusion of life, 

 and energy, and zeal. There is danger to all old societies that 

 they get into an established routine of judging and acting, and live 

 in the past rather than for the future. One of our dangers is, that 

 in our reports and communications we shall repeat ourselves. We 

 need, occasionally at least, to see with new eyes, measure and com- 

 pare with new judgments, and have higher standards than we have 

 been accustomed to. The vast field of agriculture is not yet ex- 

 hausted, the best modes of husbandry are not all ascertained ; but 

 few facts in farm management are well settled, and few of the great 

 laws of nature in respect to soil and chmate, and other things that 

 affect the growth of plants, are clearly ascertained. 



There is work enough for this Society to do, if, animated by a 

 noble ambition, its members individually strive to unfold some one 

 of these laws, or to establish some new fact in regard to agricultural 

 operations. It has recently been proposed by Lieut. Maury, of the 

 U. S. Navy, that the farmers of the "whole country aid him, in his 

 meteorological observations, by petitioning Congress to do for agri- 

 culture and farmers what has already been done by his investigations 

 for commerce and seamen. By charts, carefully compiled by him 

 from thousands of records of voyages, the best highways across the 

 ocean are now known and followed, and it may be that similar 

 discoveries may be made by him to direct, -with more certainty of 

 success, the operations of the husbandman. , 



The address before the Society was given by Dr. James R. 

 Nichols, of Haverhill, and is replete with scientific facts and sugges- 

 tions, well worthy the attentive consideration of all farmers. 



ALLEN W. DODGE, Secretary. 



