540 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



in production and profits obtained by masterly management on 

 limited areas both in horticulture and agriculture in various sec- 

 tions of the State, it becomes evident that over the vast expanse of 

 the Commonwealth, in her fertile plains, her sunny slopes and 

 sheltered valleys, there are possibilities of development along both 

 these lines, which compared with the present, though creditable 

 showing, make it appear iusiguiflcent indeed. 



Thus there is no lack of opportunity, but a general failure to fully 

 grasp opportunity by proper adaption. Take for example, condi- 

 tions here as they exist around the Capital City, which has grown 

 within a century from little more than a village to a prosperous city 

 of goodly size, and vigorous growth, a growth that is adding thou- 

 sands to her population every year. What changes have taken 

 place in the production of the rural surroundings to meet the de- 

 mands of these changed and still changing conditions? In the long 

 ago, the villagers were supplied with fruits and vegetables from the 

 surplus products of the surrouudiag farmer's orchards and gardens, 

 which were primarily intended for home supply. And so far as 

 home-grown produce is concerned, the city must largely depend on 

 that uncertain supply and quality still. The local fruit growers 

 tributary to her markets, making a specialty of the business, may 

 be called otf to the fingers of a hand; and while the growers of small 

 fruits and vegetables make a better showing, the supply of first- 

 class home-grown products in these lines is seldom equal to the 

 demand. So day after day throughout the year car-load after car- 

 load of high priced horticultural products of every description 

 arrives from the North, South, East and West, while on every side 

 fine fields of fertile soil in great variety stretch away into distance. 

 These are mainly devoted to hay and cereals as of yore, with possibly 

 an average annual value of twenty dollars per acre, while much of 

 this same soil might just as well be devoted to horticultural crops 

 worth ten times as much. It may be urged, that this is one of the 

 State's most favored agricultural regions. From a geographical • 

 survey that may be true; but it is no less adapted to horticultural 

 pursuits and from the import-view-point of demand and supply, and 

 returns for labor involved, the advantage has long been with these. 

 The same general tendencies everywhere prevail, and in many locali- 

 ties the importance of proper adaptation is even more urgent than 

 here. In naturally less favored sections, there are many whose hold- 

 ings ai'e small or ill adapted to the use of modern "agricultural 

 machines. These feel most keenly the competition of the mighty 

 harvests of the Western plains brought to their doors by transpor- 

 tation facilities which they have failed to use advantageously them- 

 selves. To them, periods of unusual prosperity may bring, tem- 

 porary relief, but in the main they are prone to mourn the loss of 

 old time prosperity, all unmindful of the array of new and greater 

 oportunities that have sprung up all around, because they cannot or 

 will not think of deviating from their beaten path. So year after 

 3'ear they plod on, in a half-hearted discouraged way, and their sons 

 seeing no hope in their father's calling, go off one by one to join 

 the crowded city's throng. 



The last census shows that during the previous decade, while the 

 increase of population in cities and towns of the Commonwealth 

 was over thirty-four per cent, the increase of her rural population 



