STANDING COMMITTEES,

The Secretary being a member ex-officio of all.

Finance-Humphrey and Parker.

Experimental Work-Hackett and Hills.

Farm Machinery-DeMeritte and Goodell.
Hygiene and Disease-Mason and Hackett.
Horses-Whittemore and Humphrey.

Neat Cattle-Goodell and Carr.

Sheep, Swine, and Poultry-Harvey and Mason. The Dairy-Parker and DeMeritte.

Fruits and Vegetables—Hills and Harvey.

Miscellaneous Matters-Carr and Whittemore.

To His Excellency the Governor :

AGRICULTURAL ROOMS,

CONCORD, March 2, 1885.

The Fourteenth Annual Report of the Board of Agriculture,

covering the legislative year ending June 1, 1885, is hereby submitted by the Secretary.

JAMES O. ADAMS.

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD.

The annual meeting was held at the Wiers in September, as has been the recent practice. There were present Messrs. Humphrey, Mason, Parker, Harvey, DeMeritte, Goodell, Whittemore, Carr, and the secretary. Only Messrs. Hills and Hackett were absent.

The session was a formal one, without discussion or the presentation of new topics. Arrangements were made for winter meetings in each county in the state.

Members of the board were called on to take part in the exercises of the annual festival of the patrons of husbandry at the Wiers, and in conducting meetings of kindred associations, not only in our own state, but in those adjoining. Members have also attended many grange meetings and those of farmers' clubs in their immediate vicinity, and have often accepted invitations to address the people at their annual fairs.

MEETING IN CLAREMONT.

The first meeting of the current year was held at Claremont on the 13th day of November, following a meeting of the Dairymen's association. It was thinly attended, as such meetings in that excellent farming town usually have been. There were present Messrs. Humphrey, Harvey, Parker, and the secretary. The subjects discussed were the breeding of stock, ensilage, grass, and fertilizers.

MEETING IN MARLBOROUGH.

From Claremont members went the next day to Marlborough, and held an afternoon and an evening session. The speaking force was here increased by the addition of Mr. Goodell and

Mr. Jos. B. Walker, though Mr. Humphrey was unable to attend. The same subjects, to some extent, were here presented, to which was added that of forestry. The attendance was small, though excellent weather prevailed.

Mr. Gerrish furnished for the People & Patriot the accompanying item regarding the meetings:

Although a light meeting in point of numbers, the board held an interesting session at the town hall on Thursday. The leading subjects were breeding, feed, and care of stock. Members Adams, Humphrey, and Harvey gave the leading talks, county member Parker being in the chair. In the forenoon Mr. Humphrey opened the question of stock-breeding, followed by J. L. Gerrish of Webster and Geo. B. Williams of Walpole. Questions and remarks by other gentlemen indicated unusual interest as the discussion approached its close. In the afternoon the principal speakers were Secretary Adams, Mr. Harvey, and Prof. Blanpied of the Agricultural College.

The board went from Claremont to Marlborough on Friday. The afternoon meeting was not very fully attended, the weather being beautiful for farm work. It was opened by Secretary Adams, who spoke for three quarters of an hour on feeding. Mr. Adams was followed by Mr. Parker, who gave his experience on the same subject, after which Prof. Blanpied, of Hanover, talked on feeding, from a chemical or theoretical standpoint.

At the evening session there was a good attendance, with Mr. Harvey in the chair. The meeting was opened with a brief talk on fertilizers by J. L. Gerrish, at the request of farmers present. The regular discussion of the evening was by Mr. Goodell, of the board, on ensilage, and Joseph B. Walker on the subject of forestry.

MEETING IN DEERFIELD.

Several notices, which immediately follow, are copied from the Manchester Union, furnished by special reporters or correspondents :

One of the grand old towns in the state is Deerfield, twenty miles from Manchester the way cars and carriages run. It has ranked up close to the head of the farming towns of the state.