aid within his reach. He sees with his own eyes what 

 great advancement has been made in farming-, and recog- 

 nizes the important part science has had in effecting it, 

 and especially, it ought to be said here, does he acknowl- 

 edge the obligation every farmer, in this Commonwealth 

 at least, is under to Professor Gcessman, of the Agricul- 

 tural College, for his investigations and experiments, and 

 to the Board of Control of the experiment station, and 

 •to the State Board of Agriculture for publishing them. 



And not to them only, but to the College itself, is the 

 agriculture of the Commonwealth greatty indebted. By 

 it a great stimulus has been given to agricultural pursuits 

 and agricultural and its related studies, among our young 

 men particularly; nor is the number limited by any 

 means, to its students and graduates. It has largely 

 tended to place, indeed it has placed, the farmer and the 

 business of farming abreast with what have been called 

 the learned professions, with every occupation that calls 

 for intelligent and educated men. It has showed to the 

 people that good farming makes a draft on brains, as well 

 as on muscle, and that the draft is quite as likely to be 

 honored as in mercantile, professional, mechanical, or 

 scientific life. It has showed to young men, or has great- 

 ly helped to show them, that the field for gratifying a high 

 and honorable ambition is as promising here in agriculture 

 as elsewhere, and that the way is as open and inviting to 

 him as elsewhere, to an honorable position in society and 

 to the honors that come in civil life, to a place among the 

 educated and influential men of his town or his state. 

 And to this, the farmer — the young farmer — has a right, 

 and it is his duty to expect to be called. 



I think it will be agreed that there has been, in the last 

 fifteen years, a large increase in the number of intelligent, 



