THE PURPOSE OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 

 ABSTRACT OF AN ADDRESS 



DELIVERED BEFORE THE 43d ANNUAL FAIR OF THE HOUSATONIC 

 AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. SEPTEMBER 26th, 1884, 



BY GEOKGE B. LORING. 



Dr. Loring began by defining the position which Massachusetts, 

 that may be called a non-agricultural state, held in the American 

 world of farming. Largely engaged in manufactures, she presents 

 that view of agriculture, which, as our country increases in popula- 

 tion and large towns and cities and manufacturing villages multiply, 

 will undoubtedly become the system most generally in use. In a 

 certain sense we may say that Massachusetts stands foremost 

 among agricultural communities. 



We are told that when seventy per cent, of the community are 

 engaged in agriculture the annual earnings of each person are $161 

 per year; when twenty per cent, are engaged $450 per year constitutes 

 each persons earnings. This latter is Massachusetts and her agri- 

 cultural industry. In this work her statistics are worthy of con- 

 sideration, as part of that great diversity of industry in which her 

 people are engaged. The number of her farms are 36,406, belong- 

 ing to her million and three-quarters of people. The value of these 

 farms, including fences and buildings, are $146,197,415. The value 

 of her farming implements and machinery is $5,134,537. The value 

 of her live stock is $12,957,004. The number of her horses is 59,- 

 629 ; of cows 150,435 ; of other cattle 96,045. Her dairy products 

 are 29,662,953 gallons of milk ; 9,655,587 lbs. of butter ; 829,528 

 lbs. of cheese. It is estimated that in 1882 her corn crop was 

 1,798,768 bushels ; her oat crop 703,000 ; her rye crop 440,000 ; her 

 potato crop 2,955,053 : her hay crop was 681,221 ; her tobacco crop 

 was 4,250,819 pounds. In addition to all these staple crops her 

 market garden produce was enormous. Around this agriculture 



