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Professor Agassiz — He has sounded the depths of knowledge and ex- 

 plored the arcana of science, but his gigantic intellect still finds an adequate 

 field in the exbaustless resources and magnificence of Nature. 



Responded to by Prof. Agassiz. 



The next speaker was the lion. Henry F. French, of Cam- 

 bridge, the accomphshed author of several works on agriculture. 



The following letter was received from Hon. John W. Proctor, 

 the venerable Ex-President of the Essex Agricultural Society. 



Mr. Pkesident — 



Happy should I have been to have enjoyed the privilege of participating 

 in the celebration of this anniversary of your Society. As was long ago 

 said in our fatherland, "Look to Norfolk" if you would see a thing well 

 done ; so say the farmers of JNIassachusetls, so long as a Wilder shall be at 

 its head. For many years the State held its anniversary in fliis vicinity, 

 until it was thought the thing could be more efficiently done by County 

 organizations. So far as my observation has extended, no Society has been 

 more faithful to its trust than -this, over which you have presided from the 

 besinninjj. 



I have sometimes queried whether the present mode of awarding pre- 

 miums Hot single animals was the best to be adopted; and have thought it 

 could be better done by taking into view the entire stock kept on farms. If 

 such a plan of examining stock coukl be effectually carried out, it would be 

 better than that which is now pursued. But though our plans may not be 

 the most complete possible, certainly much good has been done, by the 

 desire for improvement thus awakened. And when opportunity presents, 

 let those tcho can, advance upon what others have done. I wish I could 

 have heard Professor Agassiz and what science could say for agriculture. 

 Fortunate are we in securing such talents in our schools of instruction ; 

 and doubly fortunate is the farmer whose occupation is complimented by 

 such a man. I have seen many exhibitions of cattle, but do not remember 

 any one that struck me so favorably as a herd of milch cows, twenty in 

 number, from the Burley faim in Beverly, three years since. There wore 

 twenty cows, selected from a herd of fifty, all of them of a dark red color, 

 and as near alike in appearance as so many peas. They ranged from five 

 to ten years of age, were in health}', vigorous condition, just as they came 

 from a goo<i pasture. They had not been pampered at all, or overfed by 

 slops or vegetables or grain. Thinks I to myself, this is the kind of Cattle 

 Show that may be lookeii at to advantage. Let each of the milk farms in 

 the County bring forward a dozen of the choicest animals on the farm, and 

 an experienced observer will soon discriminate the best milkers, — especially 

 •when they have been reared from a parentage of established character. I 

 know we often see beautiful specimens of the Jersey stock, and so of the 

 Ayrshire or of the Duihani ; but for real profit on a farm, Avhether lor nn'lk 

 or butter, I have never seen any thing that excelled our best New England 



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