314 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The census of 1860 gives the area of farms in this State as 

 2,704^133 acres of improved, and 3,023,538 acres of unimproved 

 land ; number of farmers 64,843 ; farm laborers 15,865 ; making a 

 total of 80,708 persons engaged in this business ; while the num- 

 ber engaged in manufactures was 34,419, of mariners and fish- 

 ermen 17,054, and the total of all occupations in the State 206,667. 

 These farms were returned at a cash valuation of $78,688,525, 

 with farming implements at $3,298,327, making a total of $81,- 

 986,825 ; being but $370,525 less than one-half of the valuation of 

 whole State. My original intention was to presentfin connection 

 with these statistics, a statement showing the comparative increase 

 of our principal material interests, but there are not sufficient and 

 reliable data available in connection with agriculture, on which to 

 base such a statement. It might be given for a single decade, but 

 to be of practical value it should extend over a much larger period. 

 It must be conceded that great advancement has been made in 

 the practice of agriculture and that it occupies a very prominent 

 position among our great industrial interests and yet by far too 

 great an extent, this has been accomplished by the natural and 

 inherent advantages and necessities of the case, and on the drift- 

 ing principles rather than by the intelligence, enterprise and 

 progressive spirit with which it has been prosecuted. 



In this connection I ask your attention for a moment to what 

 has been accomplished in other departments. Our commercial 

 marine in 1861 was second in rank in the extent of its ocean 

 tonnage, while we were acknowledged superior to all other nations 

 in the science of naval architecture and in the efficiency of our 

 mercantile marine. And in this respect Mafhe stood in the front 

 rank of the States. From very small and feeble beginnings our 

 manufactures had attained in 1868, as shown by a carefullj pre- 

 pared statement made by direction of the Governor and Council to 

 an investment of $40,000,000 and the annual products to $81,- 

 287,695. At the organization of our State government, there was 

 not a mile of railroad within its borders, while the amount invested 

 in them to-day, amounts to $3,000,000 more than the original 

 valuation of the whole State. It is a proper and very important 

 question — how did these enterprises attain to such marked suc- 

 cess ? It certainly was not by the drifting principle; by letting 

 things take their own course ; but it was b}' earnest and persistent 

 efforts, it was by a combination of brain power with liberal and 

 judicious use of capital. The movers in these great enterprises 



