Review of First Report on Jlgricul. of Massachusetts. 223 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. First Report on the Agriculture of Massachusetts. 

 By Henry Colman, Commissioner for the Agricultural Sur- 

 vey of the State. County of Essex, 1S37. 8vo. 140 pages. 



We have for some time had before us this report, but have 

 been unable to notice its contents heretofore, other subjects perhaps 

 more interesting to our readers, and more immediately within the 

 scope of our Magazine, having engrossed our attention and occu- 

 pied all our space. We feel, however, too much interested in the 

 cause of agriculture, to pass it by without offering some few ob- 

 servations upon the object of the agricultural survey, of which this 

 is the first report for the county of Essex. 



The resolves for an agricultural survey of the state were passed 

 in April, 1837. In the ensuing May, towards the latter part 

 of the month, the Rev. H. Colman was appointed commissioner, 

 and he received his instructions for the prosecution of the same, 

 about the middle of June. 



The object of the survey is to ascertain the agricultural re- 

 sources of the state — to collect accurate information of its state 

 and condition, and every subject connected with it — to point out 

 the means of improvement — and to make a detailed report of the 

 same to the Legislature. With such instructions, the commission- 

 er began his survey as soon as circumstances would permit, and 

 commenced with the county of Essex, the report of which was 

 submitted to the Governor and Council, in February last; and 

 soon after ordered to be printed by the Legislature. 



The mass of information collected in this report will at once 

 show the great and lasting effect which this survey will have upon 

 the agriculture of the state. It will develop the resources of ev- 

 ery county; it will show to the intelligent farmer how much may 

 be reaped by enterprise and industry; and it will convey to all who 

 read it, the important results arising from a greater attention to 

 agricultural pursuits. 



Heretofore agriculture has been practiced altogether experi- 

 mentally, without any systematical mode of cultivation. The 

 farmer has pursued the same course marked out by his predeces- 

 sors, in but few instances admitting any innovations whatever. 

 Book farming, as it is generally termed, has been viewed with a 

 jealous eye, and those who have looked for assistance from such a 

 source, though less experienced than their neighbors, have, in most 

 instances, succeeded far better than those, who, disproving such 

 aid, have still adhered to their former prejudices and opinions. 



