80 BOARD-^ OF AGRICULTURE. 



the farmer, "whom it more directly affects, but to the whole 

 community. 



There are in the State, more than 75,000 barns, the returns 

 of 1840 showing- 63,816, and those of 1850 increasing the 

 number to 74,764 : at the same ratio of increase, there would 

 now be not less than 80,000. It is thought that five cords of 

 manure — of 102| bushels each — is a small allowance for each 

 of these barns, since in many towns, and in some entire coun- 

 ties, the average is considerably greater. But suppose it to be 

 only five cords — or about seventeen loads of thirty bushels — 

 to each. This manure may be estimated at three dollars a 

 cord. In some counties, from four to six dollars can be ob- 

 tained for it without difficulty, and that, too, where the pur- 

 chaser is obliged to haul it to the distance of five or ten miles, 

 as is often the case. But putting the price at only three 

 dollars, and the number of barns at only 75,000, and the 

 number of cords of manure to each, at only five, all of which 

 are thought to be small estimates, the numljer of cords now 

 made in the State, would be 375,000, which may be valued at 

 $1,125,000. The best judges think that an increase of one 

 hundred per cent, might easily be made, on an average, through- 

 out the State. If this be true, the Commonwealth annually 

 suffers a loss of $1,125,000 at least, by neglect in this single 

 department. 



Probably a greater quantity might be made, but I have esti- 

 mated only that quantity which it is thought by careful observ- 

 ers might be prepared by the great mass of farmers, without 

 any very great expenditure of time and labor, from the 

 resources of the farm itself. This does not include that limited 

 number of farmers who already make, perhaps, nearly as 

 much as possible, without too great cost. 



If the loss now sustained every year by the exportation of 

 bones from the State, and by the want of better arrangements 

 for saving the sewerage of cities, and the sweepings of the 

 streets of large towns, were added to the above, the amount 

 would be swollen to upwards of $2,000,000. 



