The men who, seventy years ago, in Cyrus Cummings' 

 tavern in Topsfield, organized it, were wise, far seeing, 

 public-spirited, patriotic men ; and, while they may have 

 "builded better than they knew," they could not have 

 failed to consider and to anticipate that the work they 

 were doing had other aspects of usefulness and a broader 

 significance than simply the improvement of agriculture 

 in the county, important as that was. And those on 

 whom, year by year, and generation by generation, their 

 mantle has fallen, and who have with such prudence, 

 wisdom and high regard for public honor and private 

 virtue, managed its affairs, or have been largely influential 

 in all its work, in its unvarying success and long con- 

 tinued usefulness, have been their worthy successors and 

 representatives. 



As Dr. Loring said, so wisely and so truly, in his semi- 

 centennial address in 1868— " The history of our society 

 is identified with almost every active movement for the 

 advancement of Essex County for the last fifty years. In 

 the early days of its existence the leading statesmen, 

 lawyers and educators and farmers of our county came 

 up to its support as to a common cause, believing in agri- 

 culture as the foundation of the best social and civil 

 organization, and inspired with that love of the land 

 which always characterizes a brave and lo} r al people. 

 Within this circle all religious and political controversies- 

 have been stilled ; all social rivalries and distinctions have 

 been forgotten." 



The specific purpose and object of this society undoubt- 

 edly is, as its name implies, and as all its history goes to 

 show the promotion and advancement of agriculture, and 

 its closely allied pursuits of horticulture, floriculture and 

 arboriculture, right here in our own county of Essex, 



