i6o 



members. He joined in 1855, and the same year was 

 selected to deliver the annual address, and again in 1881, 

 in which last he reviewed the progress of Agriculture in 

 the County, in the twenty-five years since his first address. 

 He was one of the Trustees of the Society for several 

 years. 



Dr. Nichols was one of the most scientific and success- 

 ful chemists of his time, and the result of his research, 

 with an inventive mind, were many important discoveries 

 and inventions, of which the public are now enjoying the 

 fruits. In 1855 and 1857 he travelled extensively in 

 Europe, and his information there gained by observation, 

 inquiry, and study, proved of great advantage to his 

 future, in the production of chemicals used in printing, 

 dyeing, photographing, and other arts which had hitherto 

 only been supplied from the laboratories of Europe. His 

 early education upon a farm caused him to apply chemis- 

 try to agriculture, and in 1863 he purchased a farm on 

 the westerly shore of Lake Kenoza, known as the " Darl- 

 ing Estate," which he designed " for an experimental 

 farm in the application of science in agriculture,'' and it 

 was probably the oldest experimental farm in the country. 

 His changes in process of cultivation proved a great suc- 

 cess, as shown in the State Agricultural Reports and in 

 the running history of the work, appearing in the " Jour- 

 nal of Chemistry," which had been established by him in 

 Boston in 1866, and in other scientific and agricultural 

 journals. He made hitherto unproductive territory teem 

 with abundant crops, and its results are shown on Essex 

 Count) r farms, especially by improved methods and more 

 science applied. In 1878 he was appointed by Gov. Rice 

 on the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture and was 

 continued a member until .his death, contributing many 

 valuable papers to the literature of agriculture. Among 

 the most prominent were, "The Proper way of Reclaim- 

 ing Wet Meadows," " Water in Agriculture," '■ Artificial 

 Fertilizers." ki What Science has accomplished for Hus- 

 bandry," " Muck — its Uses in Agriculture," and many 

 others of kindred nature. 



