296 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Since the commencement of the present century, the 

 farmer has derived great benefit from improvements secured 

 by premiums offered by agricultural societies. His barn is 

 filled with better breeds of cattle ; his orchards produce bet- 

 ter varieties of fruit ; and his garden, vegetables in greater 

 variety, wonderfully improved. But, notwithstanding the 

 great improvements that have been made, there is a vast 

 unexplored field before us. We seem to be standing on 

 the edge of that period when science is to take the lead- 

 ing part in lifting up and advancing the condition of the 

 farmer. 



The time has gone by when a Massachusetts farmer can 

 succeed by physical force alone ; and the time has come 

 when to till the soil successfully requires the exercise of 

 the brain quite as much as any other occupation. We have 

 such a great variety of soils, such sudden changes of weather, 

 with no two seasons alike, that it is very difficult to 

 establish facts in relation to the production of crops. No 

 single experiment is of any great value ; but it requires a 

 great number of experiments, covering a wide range of 

 territory, and repeated several years in succession, all 

 under the supervision of men who understand the impor- 

 tance of being accurate in all of their operations. Experi- 

 ments thus tried would be of great value to every tiller of 

 the soil. The large number of agricultural societies in this 

 State, under the supervision of this Board, affords an oppor- 

 tunity to settle by carefully tried experiments many disputed 

 points on important subjects. 



The first great want of the farmer is to know the best 

 method of saving the fertilizing materials which collect in 

 his barn and around his dwelling ; then he needs to know 

 how best to apply them : but even then, if he does not have 

 the best seed, and does not know how to cultivate in the 

 best manner, he cannot expend his labor to the best advan 

 tage. 



If agricultural societies could be induced to make a 

 united effort, by offering liberal premiums, to obtain infor- 

 mation on the saving of manures, and the value of commer- 

 cial fertilizers as compared with stable-manure, it would in 

 a few years bring out facts that this Board could collect and 

 publish, that would be of great value to the people of the 



