SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



A few facts in addition to those appearing in the preceding 

 pages should be here recorded. The after-harvest fair, with its 

 broadening and stimulating influence, is not the onh^ servnce of 

 the Agricultural Society. At other times, and in other ways, the 

 organization may and does exert its activities and confer its ben- 

 efits. A very important and essential part of the society's work 

 is the dissemination of knowledge on practical questions, and the 

 opportunity for investigation and discussion afforded by the 

 Farmers' Institutes. Of these, three at least are required to be 

 held in each calendar year. The Institutes in 1893 were of profit 

 to the comparatively few who attended them. 



The first Institute was held at the Town Hall, in Great Bar- 

 rington, on January 4th, and was devoted to the subject of " Vil- 

 lage and Wayside Improvement." About seven t}^ -five farmers 

 were present. The subject was introduced by P. A. Russell, and 

 discussion followed in which the following gentlemen partici- 

 pated : M. I. Wheeler, James Bullard, F. A. Palmer, H. E. 

 Smith, M. S. Heath, H. W. Sheldon, Levi Beebe and Alonzo 

 Bradley. 



A second Institute was held in the same place on January 17th, 

 Dr. George M. Twitchell, of Augusta, Me., delivering an address 

 on the subject : ' ' The Horse of To-morrow — Where shall we 

 ■find it ? " This address, which was of unusual merit, was pub- 

 lished in full in the Bkrkshirk CoI'RIER of January 19th. About 

 one hundred and fifty were present. 



On February 28th a third Institute was held in the Court-Room, 

 Great Barrington, at which an able and interesting lecture, illus- 

 trated by papier-mache models, was delivered by Prof. J. B. Paige, 

 of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, on the subject of the 

 "Anatomy, Functions and Diseases of the Horse's Hoof." 



As an item of historical interest, a reunion of the officers and 

 ex-ofhcers of the Housatonic Agricultural Society occurred on 

 January 4th, in connection with the Berkshire Farmers' Festival, 

 under the successful management of ex-President A. L. Hubbell. 

 This was the first banquet held in the new " Berkshire Inn." 



Very little need be said here of the annual fair. A hard, pour- 

 ing rain during the forenoon of the third day prevented — what 

 otherwise was promised — a great year for the treasury. The 

 receipts shown by the Treasurer's report to he deri\'ed from the 



