SECT. 3. They shall solicit returns and reports to the board, from the dif ferent agricultural societies in this state, and provide and furnish such blanks therefor as they may deem proper, to secure complete returns from all sections of the state. They shall make a full report to the governor of all their doings, on or before the first day of May annually, with such recommendations and suggestions as in their judgment the interests of agriculture shall require, together with a detailed and explicit statement of all expenses incurred by them. This report shall also contain all the returns received from the several agricultural societies in the state, which the board may deem useful.

SECT. 4. This report shall be printed, distributed and disposed of in the same manner and number as is provided for the printing and disposal of other state reports, by section six, chapter one of the pamphlet laws of one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in relation to the public printing.

SECT..5. The members of the board shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be entitled to receive their expenses necessarily incurred in the legitimate discharge of their duties, to be determined by the governor and council, who shall audit their accounts. The secretary shall receive no salary, but for the services he may render under the direction of the board he may receive such compensation as the governor and council may determine.

SECT. 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. [Approved July 2, 1870.]

This act, it will be perceived, prescribes how the members of the board of agriculture are to be appointed, and affords some idea of their duties. In the latter respect, however, it is not very explicit or decisive; and the present members hardly know, as yet, what will be expected of them by the farmers of the state.

At the first meeting of the board after organization, discussion was had as to the best modes of carrying out the intention of the new law so as to promote most efficiently the interest of agriculture. At a subsequent meeting it was decided to be advisable as an initiatory movement to hold, at this time and place, a convention of the farmers of New Hampshire, for the purpose of discussing vital agricultural topics, comparing notes of individual experience in farming, and devising modes of future action by making arrangements, if thought advisable, for holding county meetings and organizing, so far as practicable, farmers' clubs in the several towns of the state.

You will see by our programme that we have arranged for the consideration of a wide range of agricultural subjects at this meeting. It is hoped that much good will come from the discussion; and that a new interest in one of the most important departments of industry will be here enkindled, whose increasing light and warmth shall be felt throughout the state.

A board of agriculture has been found in other states a very effective instrumentality for diffusing useful information, creating and maintaining a lively interest, and directing and systematizing effort for improvement. Such an organization is not entirely new in this state.

In 1820, an act was passed to institute a board of agriculture and provide for its organization. This board was to consist of the presidents of the several county societies, and a delegate from each society. It was to be organized by the choice of a president and secretary, whose duty it should be to collect information bearing upon the agricultural interests of the state, and to make a printed report annually in the month of June. This act was amended in 1821, so that the board, instead of consisting of the presidents and delegates of the county societies, should be composed of delegates chosen from those

societies, each choosing one. It was made the duty of the secretaries of the county organizations to furnish the secretary of the state board with copies of all communications made to their respective societies, concerning the culture and management of crops, &c., on which premiums may have been awarded. Had this plan of securing reports and distributing and preserving them in printed form been carried out and continued to the present day, it would not only have secured great immediate advantage from the diffusion of needed information, but would now afford a history of the progress of agriculture in our state for the last fifty years, together with a fund of practical suggestions, both of which would be invaluable. In 1824 the act became

null by the failure of counties to elect delegates. Probably not much had been done under the law; indeed, a practical effort under it could hardly have been organized during the brief period of its existence.

Many years later, the state assumed the expense of publishing a series of annual reports, containing the transactions of the state and county societies, comprising addresses and essays upon agricultural subjects, arranged for publication by the secretary of the state society. The volumes published under this arrangement, which answered one important purpose of a state board of agriculture, contain much valuable matter calculated to promote agricultural improvements. But this salutary provision for agricultural enlightenment was some time ago modified. A fault of the legislature in this direction, in our state, has been its lack of persistency.

There are gratifying indications, however, that New Hampshire will not long lag behind other states in liberally fostering agriculture by judicious legislation. Among these indications may be reckoned the establishment and endowment of an agricultural college and the creation of a board of agriculture. It is with the farmers of New Hampshire, now that the agricultural college is established, to say whether they will sustain it with their influence and patronage and make it what it should be, an institution that will be a credit and a benefit to the farmers of the state. It is to be hoped that legis lative liberality will continue to enlarge until it shall embrace the dispensing of judicious gratuities to agricultural organizations and the providing of any other wise and available means calculated to encourage and promote a pursuit which must always be a prime resource of wealth and happiness in our state.

The meeting was now formally opened, and was sustained with an abiding interest for the two days, as the following outline of proceedings will show. The leading addresses, in part or in full, will be given in this report under appropriate heads in connection with similar remarks at other meetings.

The first topic for consideration in the programme was "Indian Corn, the profit from its cultivation, and its exhausting effects on the soil compared with that of other crops."

Hon. Simon Brown, of Concord, Mass., occupied nearly an hour in a full and interesting discussion of the subject, and was followed in a further consideration of the subject by Col. D. M. Clough, of

Canterbury, who occupied the time until the adjournment, at

noon.

At the opening of the afternoon session the subject for discussion was "Manures the comparative value of commercial, composted and stable manures, and the economy of purchasing fertilizers to compensate for the loss by selling hay and other farm products."

The discussion was opened by J. F. Lawrence, Esq., of Epping, member of the board for Rockingham county, other gentlemen following in an earnest advocacy or condemnation of special fertilizers and the practice of many farmers. Among the speakers were S. C. Pattee of Warner, M. D. Lawrence of Rhode Island, Joseph B. Walker of Concord, John L. Kelley of Franklin, Dr. Mason of Moultonborough, Levi Bartlett of Warner and L. B. Hoskins of Lyman. Specimens of the Stevens dolomite were presented which called out a somewhat excited discussion.

In the evening session the subject assigned was "The agricultural advantages of the West and the East compared."

The first hour was occupied by C. G. Hawthorne, Esq., of Hopkinton, in a studied and excellent address on the subject, based on actual experience.

He was followed in brief but earnest speeches by Hon. J. W. Patterson, of the United States Senate, and by Hon. J. H. Ela, of the National House of Representatives. The meeting adjourned, and a session of the board was held and arrangements made for meetings at such places as offered proper facilities and promised a fair attendance.

On the second day, after the preliminaries of the opening, it was voted to appropriate a half hour to the consideration of a question named in the programme for which no assignment of time had been made that of "Farmers' Clubs."

The Secretary was first called and occupied a considerable portionof the time, and was followed by Messrs. Hayward of Gilmanton, president of the Gilmanton Farmers' Club, Judge Roberts of Rollinsford, Joseph B. Walker of Concord, Gov. Brown of Mass., Col. D. M. Clough of Canterbury, Col. Geo. W. Riddle of Manchester, Mr. Tenney of Chester, Mr. Lyman of Exeter, and others, when the regular programme was resumed, and

A Paper on "the Drought and the means of preventing its usual effects," was read by James O. Adams, the secretary of the board.

In the discussion which followed, Dr. Mason, Judge Roberts, Col. Clough, Mr. Lyman, O. S. Bliss of Vermont, Mr. Hills of Windham and other gentlemen participated and consumed the allotted time.

In the afternoon a paper on "Blood Stock, the breeds most desirable for New Hampshire," was read by Judge Roberts of Rollinsford, and was discussed at much length by S. W. Buffum of Winchester, C. S. George of Barnstead, the Secretary, Mr. Bliss, Mr. Lawrence, Chairman Humphrey and other gentlemen.

The evening hour was devoted to the subject of horses, when a paper on the "Breeding and Rearing of Horses" was read by H. W. Green of Hopkinton.

This called out remarks from Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Col. Clough, and Mr. Hawthorne, not to name those who made miscellaneous speeches on the occasion.

The real work of the meeting was then concluded and its influence had gone out among the people of the state. As an adjournment was about to be moved, Mr. Lawrence, in behalf of the board, made appropriate remarks and offered the following resolutions, which were unanimously approved:

Resolved, That the thanks of the Board of Agriculture and the farmers attending the meeting be returned to Gov. Brown, and Messrs. Hawthorne, Ela, Patterson, Roberts and Green, and to the other gentlemen who have engaged in the discussions, for the aid they have given the board, and the gratification they have afforded the people by their remarks during the meeting.

Resolved, That we express our thanks to the citizens of Concord who have afforded entertainment to visitors, and in other ways contributed to the success of the meeting.

Resolved, That the Board is under especial obligations to the press of New Hampshire and the agricultural press of Massachusetts for their efforts, so essential in making our meeting a success.

John D. Lyman offered the following, which passed unanimously:

Resolved, That the hearty thanks of this convention are due and are hereby tendered to the Board of Agriculture of the State for the able, faithful and successful manner in which they have performed their respective duties in the advancement of the cause of agriculture in New Hampshire.

Thus closed a session of two days which was well attended and successfully conducted.

MEETING AT MILFORD.

A meeting for discussion was arranged for Milford, to be held on the 22d of December, and the following programme adopted: At ten o'clock, A. M., Thoroughbred neat stock; one o'clock, P. M., Farmers' means of mental improvement; three o'clock, P. M., Farm Experiences; seven o'clock, P. M., Milk and how to produce it.

The meeting assembled, but the advertised actors were not there; with the single exception of Dr. Mason, no member of the board was present. All were detained by circumstances they could not control.

The call to order was made by Mr. Moulton, president of the county society, who, after a few explanations, introduced Dr. Mason who presided.

The first subject considered was that of "Thoroughbred neat stock." William Ramsdell, Esq., occupied the first portion of the time and was followed by Ward Parker of Merrimack, the chair, Mr. Hutchinson of Milford, Mr. Abbott of Wilton, Mr. Moulton of Milford, Mr. Haseltine of Amherst, and Mr. Gilman of Nashua, consuming the morning session.

The afternoon subject was that of the "Farmers' means of mental improvement." The chairman led in the consideration of the subject; Mr. Ramsdell, Mr. Holt of Lyndeborough, Mr. Moulton of Milford, and Mr. Proctor of Milford, followed, and at its close the chairman announced that some time would be spent in relating farm experiences.

As but few of the remarks made will be likely to find a place in this report, we will give briefly some of the good suggestions of the farmers.

Mr. Ramsdell's experience in raising corn the past season was stated to be as follows: Planted as usual; corn came up, looked well; was forward and promised a good crop; then came the drought; the corn began to shrink, and continued shrinking until it was difficult to tell what it was; result, fifty bushels on two and a half acres. He thought if he had put his manure deeper down under the soil, or had spread it and plowed under, his crop would have been better.

Mr. Abbott, of Wilton, believed the best way of using manure to be by spreading the green manure upon the surface and then plow it in. This was the result of his experience.