6 



only earnest and enlightened, but benevolently expansive. By 

 his voice and pen, by precept and by example, he did much 

 toward awakening in this community, a deeper and more in- 

 telligent interest, in his favorite pursuit. Among the founders 

 of this association he was unquestionably the leading man,— 

 and that it came into being under such auspices, is an honor 

 to which the society may ever look back with commendable 

 pride.* 



Col. Pickering's Presidency of ten years ended only with 

 his life. It was about the time of Mr. Pickering's death, that 

 the Rev. Henry Colman became a farmer in this county and 

 a zealous member of this society. To his active member- 

 ship — his hearty co-operation — his admirable contributions — 

 the Transactions bear constant witness. Nor did his interest 

 or his efforts cease when he ceased to be an inhabitant of 

 Essex county. This society had been his first love, and from 

 his home at Meadowbanks he sent to it many valuable com- 

 munications. I find it stated that in the course of ten years, 

 more than two hundred articles from his pen appeared in your 

 Transactions. I have looked through many of these commu- 

 nications with a conviction that they do high credit both to 

 his head and heart. That the name of Henry Colman is con- 

 nected indissolubly with the agricultural history of Massachu- 

 setts, as well as of Essex county, f — and that our American pub- 

 lic was indebted to him for some of its earliest and most authen- 

 tic information in regard to the farms and husbandry of Great 

 Britain — a country in which he spent several years of careful 

 observation — are facts, of which only the youngest of my 

 auditors can need to be reminded. 



Among other names of note that belong to our earlier an- 

 nals, that of Andrew Nichols is conspicuous. He addressed 

 the society in 1820, and uttered in his sensible discourse, a 



♦See Appendix A. 



fin 1837, Mr. Colman Avas appointed Commissioner for an agricultural 

 survey of Massachusetts, and his first Report was a full and minute account 

 of the agricultural condition and resources of Essex county. 



