240 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



men were employed, and in July nine ; six by the month and three by 

 the day. The wages paid were $23, $18 and $16 per month and 

 board, and by the day, $1.50 and $1.7o, including board. 



For the remainder of the year, the number of men employed has varied 

 from six to ten, at about the same wages. The price paid for board 

 has been $3 a week. Boys from the State Reform School have been 

 employed on the farm and about the stables to some extent all the 

 time, and ten cents a day have been allowed for their labor. The 

 number employed has varied from six or eight to one hundred and 

 fifty at a time. The whole amount paid for their labor is $1,998.30, 

 about two-thirds of the whole sum appropriated by the legislature, 

 and placed at the disposal of the Board. The whole cost of labor 

 done on the farm and for the State Reform School during the year, 

 including the salary of the head farmer, and what has been paid for 

 the labor of the boys and board of men, is $5,318.07, of which, 

 $1,53G is chargeable to permanent improvements on the farm. This 

 may appear to be a large sum to be expended on a farm no larger 

 than the State Farm, at Westborough, in one year. To understand 

 the matter fairly, it must be known that with the farm is connected 

 the State Reform School for Boys. 



There are usually in that institution, about six hundred boys, all 

 sent there by order of court for some cause, and for the purpose of 

 being reformed. It is important fur the health and moral culture of 

 the boys that they should, under proper rules and regulations, and 

 under proper supervision, exercise in the open air to some extent, and 

 to effect the object it is thought best to employ them on the farm and 

 thus give them an opportunity to acquire some knowledge of farming ; 

 hence it is necessary to employ men who are not only capable of per- 

 forming labor, but they must be men of character, proper to oversee, 

 instruct and take care of the boys, men who can command hi^jher 

 wages than mere day laborers. Ihe boys cannot be employed to any 

 advantage except upon the light work, and then it frequently costs 

 more to look after them, superintend their work, prevent their escape 

 and keep them out of mischief, than it would to hire the work done. 

 While your committee can appreciate the importance of giving the 

 boys an opportunity to work on the farm, we cannot see any good 

 reason why, under the circumstances, any thing should be paid for 

 their labor. 



It is Said that the Reform School is a State institution, and that 

 the farm also bel ngs to the State, and what is paid by one to the 

 other is merely taking out of one pocket and putting into the other, and 

 does not affect the final result. This, so far as the State is concerned, 



