SECRET*ARY'S REPORT. 43 



men or overseers of the poor of every town in the Common- 

 wealth, recommending that each town, possessing a town or 

 poor farm, make the same, as far as possible, a model or 

 experimental farm. This, it was thought, could be done at 

 a very small expense, either under the direction of the select- 

 men or overseers of the poor, or by a committee which should 

 be able to give it some personal attention, and continue 

 in office long enough to bring out valuable practical results. 

 This course of proceeding would also suggest many new ideas 

 to a class of men not now interested in the subject, and bring 

 much valuable information home to the very door, of the 

 farmer. At a subsequent meeting of the Board, the following 

 was submitted as a circular letter embodying the recommenda- 

 tion of the foregoing Resolution. 



BOAKD OF AgRICULTUKE, ) 



Secretary's Office, Jan. 17", 1856. ) 



Gentlemen : — At a meeting of the Board of Agriculture held at 

 the State House on the 5th of December, 1855, it was voted, " That 

 the Secretary address a circular letter to the selectmen of every town 

 in the Commonwealth, recommending that each town possessing a 

 town or poor farm, make the same, as far as possible, a model or ex- 

 perimental farm." 



It must be evident to you that, owing to the difference of soils and 

 the influences of climate in different parts of the State, no experi- 

 ments made in any one locality, however carefully they may be con- 

 ducted, can be of universal application or value. Hence, a model 

 or experimental flirm in any one part of the State, though it may he 

 of importance and value in that vicinity, can hardly be expected to 

 he of equal value in other sections. It is believed that many thou- 

 sand dollars are annually lost by individuals, in the injudicious 

 application of manures, and by the cultivation of crops of less value 

 than others which might he adopted. By a course of judicious ex- 

 periments, carefully conducted, on the town farms in every part of the 

 State, many useful ideas might be suggested, without expense to the 

 State or to the towns by which they were made ; and these experi- 

 ments would be brought from year to year to the knowledge of all who 

 might wish to profit by them. These experiments might be intrusted 

 to a committee specially appointed for the purpose, or to the select- 

 men, or the overseers of the poor. 



I shall be happy to afford all the assistance in my power, by way of 



