164 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



feeding crop for neat stock, and may be as easily cultivated as 

 com, the additional labor required to harvest it, being fully 

 compensated by the yield. 



Agricultural Implements. — The implements of agriculture 

 which are now considered of the first necessity, were twenty 

 years ago considered as novelties and the innovations of the 

 day. 



In 1627 there were but thirty ploughs in Massachusetts. 

 Massachusetts now holds equal rank with other States in the 

 manufacture of agricultural implements in our country. The 

 factory of Ruggles, Nourse & Mason, established in this county 

 in 1838 on a capital of ten thousand dollars, employing twenty- 

 five men, has now a capital of three hundred thousand dollars, 

 and has three hundred and fifty hands employed. 



Ploughs manufactured in 1859, 27,000 



Horse hoes, ........ 3,000 



Cultivators, 7,000 



Hay and straw cutters, 10,000 



Harrows, 3,000 



Corn shellers, 12,000 



Threshing machines, ....... 1,000 



Horse powers, ........ 1,000 



Churns, 12,000 



Mowing machines, ....... 500 



Also a great variety of smaller implements of agriculture and 

 horticulture. About one-half of the above quantities are annu- 

 ally exported to foreign countries. 



The value of articles manufactured in the county exceeds 

 annually, $15,000,000. " The two great divisions of labor, 

 agriculture and manufactures, have gone onward together, 

 each opening a market for the other, and the mechanics of 

 Worcester County are in honor and reason bound to work 

 zealously for the interests of the society, and to come forward, 

 year by year, with generous contributions to its treasury. 



Dairy Stock. — In 1855 there were owned in "Worcester 

 County, 43,360 milch cows and heifers, of the Durham, Devon, 



