f agricultural chemistry. The completed rooms, with a large
lot of cameras of various sizes, together with an abundant supply of
photographic material, were placed at the disposal of the working
members of the club. These things were rightly considered a necessary
part of an educational outfit. Fillmore Flagg and George Gerrish both
were skillful photographers: with the wise guidance of two such able
teachers, the class soon began to produce creditable work. After the
expiration of a fixed period, in compliance with an imperative club
rule, each member was obliged to complete all work from start to finish
without assistance. This would give scope and opportunity for
expressions of spontaneity and inventive genius in the individual
treatment of the work, which might tend to the evolution of superior
methods. It was clearly an advantage for the members to be able to say
truthfully that photographs produced under such requirements were
actually the results of their own individual handiwork; from focusing
the object, timing the exposure of the plate, on through the various
stages of developing, toning, printing and mounting, up to the final
process of polishing the finished picture. At the end of each month the
members individually were required to submit twelve finished photographs
to the inspection of a committee of five. This committee was composed of
two ladies and two gentlemen in addition to Fillmore Flagg, who was the
chairman. From this collection of twelve lot pictures, representing the
finest work of the club, the committee selected four photographs from
each lot, which were chosen to become a part of the farm exhibit to be
displayed on the walls of the library, hall of education and the
school-rooms. This monthly award for meritorious work acted as a
wonderful stimulus to all the club members, so increasing their
ambition, industry and artistic invention, that an ever increasing
number of delightful surprises followed each monthly examination. In
considering the selections as a class, the extent and variety of the
subjects treated covered a wide range. Among them we may name the
general and special views of the farm, its buildings, fields of grain,
corn, cotton and broom corn; bits of forest, meadow or brookside
landscapes; specimens of the different vegetables and garden products;
interior views of the different buildings; photographs of groups and of
individual members of the company; pictures of manufactured art