CULTIVATED MOWING-LANDS. 109 



hay-crop is not a local interest : it is the same from Berkshire 

 to Essex ; the same from Worcester to Plymouth ; the same, 

 in fact, in all parts of the State. It is not a local interest, as 

 market-gardening and some other interests might be termed ; 

 and therefore I may well say to you that it is the founda- 

 tion of Massachusetts farming. It means sustenance for our 

 cattle ; it means milk, butter, cheese, beef, and pork ; and it 

 means manure with which to grow the other crops. I think 

 those propositions are all right, — it means all those things. 

 The census of Massachusetts shows an average crop of one 

 ton only to the acre, and the value of that ton of English 

 hay in 1875 was $17.30. Assume, then, that five years is 

 the usual length of time which a piece of land lies in mowing 

 (I mean, gentlemen, without renewing); and, as I have reck- 

 oned the cost of growing an average crop, it would be about 

 as follows, under the common method of treatment adopted 

 by the farmers throughout the State. Of course, the state- 

 ment that I am about to give you may be criticised : some 

 things may be a little too much, and some not enough. But 

 assuming that the labor in ploughing, harrowing, rolling, 

 and sowing the seed, is f 6 an acre, the average value of the 

 manure that would be applied to the acre may be reckoned 

 at $25 (supposing that the land is to be seeded at once). 

 The amount of seed that I sow on an acre of land is worth 

 about $2. I also assume that the average top-dressing would 

 be once in the five years, and that would be worth $20 more. 

 Then the harvesting of the five tons of hay five separate 

 vears would be worth about $4 a ton, which would amount 

 to $20 more. The total of that is $73. 



The average value of a ton of English hay is, as I have 

 said, $17.30. The average cost of growing that ton, if the 

 statement that I have referred to is anywhere near correct, 

 is $14.60 ; and that leaves $2.70 with which to pay the inter- 

 est on the money, the taxes, and the fencing. I have given 

 you the averages. You will see that the chances of accumu- 

 lating money under that system are pretty small, — not so 

 brilliant as you would like to see them. 



Now, are you satisfied with any such result as that? I 

 know that the farmers who gather at these meetings are 

 intelligent and progressive men. Those whom I see before 

 me are far above the average intelligence of the State ; and I 



