Public Wixtek Meeting of the Board, 



AT GREENFIELD. 



The anmual public winter meeting of the Board was held 

 in the town hall, Greenfield, beginning Tuesday, December 

 1, and continuing through the two following days. The 

 weather was cool, with clear skies, and there was an un- 

 usually large attendance at the meetings. 



The iirst session was called to order by Hon. James S. 

 Grinxell, the first vice-president. Prayer was ofi'ered by 

 the Rev. P. Y. Finch of St. James' Church, Greenfield. The 

 chairman then announced that the presiding officer for the 

 remainder of the day would be Mr. A. A. Smith, president 

 of the Franklin County Agricultural Society, and that he 

 would deliver the address of welcome. 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



BY MR. A. A. SMITH OF COLKAIN. 



Mr. Chairman, members of the Board of Agriculture of 

 Massachusetts and friends : The invitation of the Franklin 

 Count}'" Agricultural Society to hold your public winter meet- 

 ing of 1896 in this place having been accepted by your hon- 

 orable Board, it becomes my pleasant duty and privilege to 

 welcome you to this "the garden of the Commonwealth." 

 First let me assure you that you are not assembled within 

 the walls of a large city, but instead the beautiful and thriv- 

 ing village of Greenfield, which is fed and nourished by the 

 fertile agricultural districts that surround it ; the shire town 

 of the county, whose people are interested in all that per- 

 tains to her welfare and prosperity. The Franklin County 

 Agricultural Society expected that your honorable Board 

 would accept its most cordial invitation when made, not 

 that it needs your presence to strengthen and encourage 

 more than other societies, not that it can entertain you bet- 

 ter, but that from a meeting held in the midst of practical, 

 intelligent, successful farmers, who will take part in the dis- 



