129 



Mr. Marsh's grounds aiForded tliem. Mr. Marsh is a genuine 

 lover of trees and foliage, and by his liberality and efforts in differ- 

 ent ways, has done much for the ornament of his native village. 



The Committee take great pleasure in awarding to him the first 

 premium on Hedges, $10.00. 



For the Committee, 



EBEN WIGHT, Chairman. 



-#- 



REPORT ON ESSAYS. 



The design of this Society in offering premiums for Essays, is 

 to induce the careful preparation of instructive and useful papers, 

 worthy of publication in the volume of Transactions annually dis- 

 tributed to its members. Extracts from this volume are always 

 made part of that most valuable work, — " The Agriculture of 

 Massachusetts," — which is prepared and published every year by 

 the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. The circulation 

 of this work is very extensive. No better channel could be 

 afforded, therefore, for the wide dissemination of theoretical or 

 practical treatises on any subject relating to the labors and inter- 

 ests of the farmer. 



We believe there are many persons familiar with such subjects, 

 both theoretically and practically, who seldom make themselves 

 known beyond the circle of their immediate neighborhood, by 

 whom brief treatises might be furnished, that would do honor to 

 themselves and confer great benefit on the community. The im- 

 portance of communicating, in this way, the knowledge of opinions 

 confined to men of science, and of practices successfully pursued 

 by a limited number of laboring men, cannot, we think, be over- 

 estimated. Treatises, prepared for an Association like this, would 

 command attention where their authors would most desire to have 

 it, — relatinor to the dailv labors and vital interests of farmers, 

 they would, at once, be made the subject of reflection and conver- 

 sation, — or be put into use by those, whose experience would help 

 to estabhsh the truth and value of them. Working farmers are, 



generally, thinking men. Often their minds are as active as their 



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