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Agricultural Societies are capable of accomplishing. The objects for 

 which premiums are awarded are substantially the same, so far as my obser- 

 vation of the bills of fare has gone, throughout the Commonwealth ; differing 

 somewhat according to the peculiar features of the industry in the different 

 parts of the Commonwealth ; but, on the whole, they are about the same. 

 The amount of premium offered differs very essentially. The amount of en- 

 couragement which it is thought necessary to bestow upon different branches, 

 differs very materially in different places, though the subject is of equal im- 

 portance in different parts of the Commonwealth. The mode of operation, 

 the mode of putting on paper that which is thought worth recording, and 

 the extent to which that is done, differ materially in one County from ano- 

 ther. There is no concentration. There is no permanent recording. 

 There is no distribution of information. So that these Societies, though 

 they have accomplished vast good, have failed, in my judgment, to accom- 

 plish the greater amount of good that they might have done. 



The proposition before you is for the organization of a Central Commit- 

 tee. The details of the constitution of that body are not carried out in the 

 resolve. But the idea has been suggested that it should be composed of 

 some of the officers of the different Societies of the Commonwealth ; that 

 they should periodically meet, as suggested in the resolve itself, to devise 

 and recommend to the other Societies some uniform mode of action ; and 

 that they, beyond that, should take into consideration all those subjects 

 which are useful in Agricultual Societies. 



Now it seems to me that this proposition needs only to be stated, in 

 order to commend itself to the approbation of every gentleman. It is a 

 very innocent matter, at any rate. Whether the Commonwealth of Massa- 

 chusetts shall or shall not extend that aid to agriculture which it has given 

 already to almost every thing else, whether the action of this day shall 

 result in any important good or not to the farmer of Massachusetts,- 

 whether any dollar shall now or hereafter be appropriated to the promotion 

 of agriculture or not, this matter is required equally to be done under the 

 existing state of things, and under any possible future state of things, 

 whether you have schools or not, you wish your Societies. They are ne- 

 cessary in order that little County collections may be made, and that the 

 farmers may there interchange views and may get ideas which they will 

 reduce to practice. They will be necessary in order that men may encour- 

 age each other by acting together, to talk over these subjects of common 

 interest. If you have your Agricultural Schools or not, carried on under 

 any plan, still I think you need these same Agricultural Societies, as their 

 business is distinct entirely from that of your Agricultural Schools, each 

 working in its own department in the same great cause. And, in any 

 event, while you have these Agricultural Societies you will need this 

 central organization in order that they may all stand on the same platform, 

 that they may have the same object in view, and the same general mode of 

 carrying out and attempting to accomplish that object. 



For one, sir, I shall be exceedingly glad to have that Committee appoint- 



