Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden. - First 43 annual reports, 47th, 50th, 51st, 52d, 53d. Highland. 1871, and all previous to 1867. Hoosac Valley. - First 5 annual reports, 7th annual report, 1866. Housatonic. Marshfield. 1866, and all previous to 1865. Martha's Vineyard. All previous to 1866. -- Middlesex. 1858, 1873, 1876, 1877, 1879, and all previous to - 1854. -- Middlesex South.-1857, 1858, 1859, 1861, 1877, 1884. Nantucket. 1857, 1863, 1869, 1870, 1871. Plymouth County. — 1854, 1856, 1858 to 1860 inclusive, 1862, 1865, and all previous to 1853. Union. — 1873, 1876 to 1880 inclusive. Worcester. 1827 to 1830 inclusive, 1832 to 1842 inclusive, 1860 to 1867 inclusive, 1878 to 1882 inclusive. Worcester North. — 11th annual report, 1863. Worcester South. 1862 to 1866 inclusive, 1870, and all previous to 1861. Worcester County West. All previous to 1867. We also lack the transactions of the old Bristol County Central Society for the year 1871, and any since 1876; and of the old Worcester South East Society the 3d, 4th and 5th annual reports, and the 8th annual report, 1867. A Board of forty-five members is a large one for effective work, but, by the appointment of delegates to visit the several societies, an examining committee of the Agricultural College, a committee on legislation and an executive committee to act for the Board in emergencies, and the secretary and his clerk in constant attendance in this office, the duties of the Board are well attended to. The members are as a whole painstaking, and willing to spend time and talents for the promotion of the agricultural interests of the State. During the past year one of the oldest and most honored members of the Board, Hon. Velorous Taft of West Upton, has been removed by death. His long connection with the Board, and his large and varied experience in public positions, made his counsels valuable to all the members. Resolutions of respect to his memory will be found in the records of the annual meeting printed in this volume. The House of Representatives of 1890 called on the Board of Agriculture to investigate and report upon the need of legislation in regard to the forests of the State, and also upon the birds of Massachusetts, both useful and injurious to agriculture. This duty has been performed, and these reports will be found printed in this volume. WM. R. SESSIONS, Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. BOSTON, February, 1891. PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD AT WORCESTER. The regular winter meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture was held at Horticultural Hall, in Worcester, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 2, 3 and 4, 1890. The attendance at the opening session, although not large, was quite respectable in point of numbers, and the interest manifested in the lecture and the discussions which followed was of the most gratifying character, and was well maintained during all the sessions. The meeting was called to order at ten o'clock on Tuesday, December 2, by Secretary Sessions, who introduced as the chairman for the day Mr. C. L. HARTSHORN of Worcester, representing the Worcester Agricultural Society on the Board. Mr. HARTSHORN said: GENTLEMEN OF THE STATE BOARD:-It gives me great pleasure to welcome you here in the city of Worcester. It was fourteen years ago that you held your last meeting with us. At that time the gentleman who presided told you that he represented a city of about fifty thousand inhabitants; to-day we have about eighty-five thousand population. Our increase in agriculture, in manufactures and in other directions, will be spoken of by others who are here to-day to welcome you. I have at this time the pleasure of introducing to you His Honor Mayor FRANCIS A. HARRINGTON of Worcester. ADDRESS OF MAYOR HARRINGTON. as MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE: It is certainly a It is certainly a pleasure to me, representing the city, to greet you and to welcome you to Worcester. Agriculture was the first, and still is the prom |