144 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



ment, by the offer of a single premium of fifty dollars for the 

 best conducted and most improved farm, during the ensuing 

 three years, taking into view the entire management and culti- 

 vation for that period, including lands, buildings, fences, orch- 

 ards, crops, stock, and all other appendages, with statements in 

 detail relating thereto. 



Many of our intelligent farmers, fully aware of what a model 

 farm should be, have declined entering into competition with 

 each other, for the year, for the reason that their contemplated 

 improvements require a series of years for their perfect develop- 

 ment. As the result of this offer of premiums, six farms have 

 been entered, three of which have been visited and examined 

 by the directors, and statements, more or less complete, are 

 received from the respective owners, and are herewith sub- 

 mitted. 



The directors feel that no ordinary task devolves upon them, 

 tlie requirements of the society being such, that each farm 

 entered for one year must be visited twice, and those for three 

 years, once in the first two years, and twice in the last year. 

 Yet we have no hesitation in saying, that while our visitations 

 have been pleasant, (and we hope profitable to ourselves,) much 

 real good has been gained for the cause for w^hich the society 

 was organized, by enlisting in competition the farmers and the 

 farm improvements of the county, and we earnestly recommend 

 the continuance of this, or a similar system, as one of the best 

 . means of promoting the interests of agriculture, and the welfare 

 of the society. 



Capital invested in farming, is limited in New England. 

 Many young farmers have none to invest, and those who have 

 are too much disposed to invest it in some other business, or 

 put it on interest, while their lands, being unduly drained of 

 their products, and no return made to them, are becoming 

 unproductive. That capital, skilfully invested in farm improve- 

 ments, will pay a better percentage than the average of other 

 business, has been clearly proved by repeated experiments. 



But the most important question to be solved, is, how can 

 improvements be best carried on without capital ? In awarding 

 these premiums, the society should aim to encourage those 

 improvements which will yield the largest income on the capital 

 invested. In no better way can this be done, than by a full 



