No. 4.] REPORT OF SECRETARY. xxv 



able as a reference library than is possible at the present 

 time. 



Meetings of the Board. 



The public winter meeting of the Board for lectures and 

 discussions was held at Greenfield, Dec. 1, 2 and o, 189(). 

 The lectures and discussions will be found printed on pages 

 13-202 of this volume. A special business meeting of the 

 Board Avas held at Greenfield, Dec. 1, 189G, an account of 

 which will be found printed on pages 9, 10. The annual 

 business meeting of the Board was held at the office of the 

 secretary Jan. 12 and 13, 1897, and the minutes thereof, 

 etc., will be found printed on pages 205-246 of this volume. 



Changes in the Board. 



During the past year death removed from the Board His 

 Excellency Frederic T. Greenhalge, president ex officio; 

 also Mr. A. D. Raymond of Royalston, who had represented 

 the Worcester North-west Agricultural Society on the Board 

 since February, 1895. 



The following gentlemen retired from the Board at the 

 recent annual meeting because of the expiration of their 

 terms of service : Henry A. Cook of the Blackstone Valley 

 Agricultural Society, after six years of service; W. M. 

 Tucker of the Eastern Hampden Agricultural Society, F. E. 

 Clark of the Hampden Agricultural Society, C. B. Lyman of 

 the Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Agricultural Society, 

 Wm. H. Gove of the Hoosac Valley Agricultural Society, 

 F. A. Palmer of the Housatonic Agricultural Society and 

 John H. Bourne of the jNIarshfield Agricultural and Horti- 

 cultural Society, — each after three years of service. 



Cattle Commission. 



The report of the Board of Cattle Commissioners (Pub. 

 Doc, No. 51) is by law printed in the annual report of the 

 State Board of Agriculture, and the report for 1896 will be 

 found printed on pages 519-592 of this volume. 



