20 



the form of an annual report to the Legislature," instead of having it 

 duty of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, who has, I believe, alw 

 delegated it to other hands, who have annually formed an abstract ; 

 thrown it through the press. The Secretary of the Commonwealth 

 enough to do. He never has done this duty personally, and I think 

 never will do it except through other agencies. It is proposed to plac 

 in the hands of a man whose life is agricultural, the breath of whose r 

 trils is agriculture, who eats it and drinks it, and who is given up to aj 

 culture, accomplished in it throughout. Make it his duty to do it, an 

 will venture to say that it will be not only as good a book as is now j 

 duced, but one which will be read throughout the Commonwealth, 

 will contribute to make it better in this way. He will suggest to the Ic 

 Societies what are the subjects to which their minds should be direci 

 He will have the elements in a far better condition than the Secretary 

 the Commonwealth has ever received them from the Secretaries of 

 Agricultural Societies. 



The Secretary is required " To collect agricultural statistics and infon 

 tion in the various departments of this science ; to correspond with 1( 

 Societies in this and other lands." When gentlemen read this repor 

 the agricultural commission, they will find a vast amount of infonnatioi 

 it. When I took it up, I did not lay it down till I had read it through, 

 have been practically acquainted with agriculture all my life, and I thou 

 I knew a little of what has been done in this country and on the other s 

 of the Atlantic. But when I had read that book, I came to the conclus 

 that I did not know any thing about it. I think others will find out 

 same, though they may not be as ignorant as I was. He is to " cor 

 pond with local Societies in this and other lands ;" perhaps to con 

 pond with other Governments, and find out what the Autocrat of all 

 Russias, the President of the French Government, the rulers of all th 

 little dependencies in Germany, and what even Queen Victoria thinke 

 this point. Sir, I have wandered from the subject, but you have 

 brought your hammer down yet. 



Here is an instrument by means of which the Secretary can get infon 

 tion from all over the world, and this little report will tell him where 

 can get his information. He will produce a volume which will be valua 

 to the practical farmers, and not to the book-farmers alone, (though I sp 

 that word with a great deal of respect, and not with the sneers which sc 

 have used,) applicable to all farmers all over Massachusetts. 



The Secretary shall have it a part of his duty to devise the means of 

 proving agriculture in general throughout the Commonwealth. Well, 

 if the government of the Commonwealth should, in their wisdom, see fi 

 establish an agricultural college and an agricultural school, it seems to 

 that this thing would be necessary. This kind of organization, this bun 

 of the Government would be necessary in order to carry that plan i 

 effective operation, and to bring it to a point so that it can act in connect 

 with the local Societies that now exist, If those schools are not establi 



