423 



an account of its proceedings, the report of its awards, the names 

 of the successful competitors, with a full statement of the 

 grounds and occasions of such awards, in a pamphlet, to which 

 should be appended the annual address before the society and 

 such agricultural intelligence as it may be deemed useful to 

 disseminate. This might be done at no great expense, and 

 would keep up an interest in the society and induce the acces- 

 sion of new members beyond any other method which now 

 occurs to me. This has been successfully tried in Essex 

 county for years ; and the Transactions of the Essex Society have 

 now reached to three octavo volumes, are full of valuable mat- 

 ter, and are sought after with eagerness by members and others. 

 There are many other things in respect to the agriculture of 

 Middlesex which I should be glad to refer to, of equal impor- 

 tance with those which have been considered, if my limits 

 allowed it. But I must leave this to those who shall come 

 after me. 



XXI. Miscellaneous Considerations. — Middlesex county, 

 rough and sterile in many places as the soil is, is yet possessed 

 of extraordinary advantages and encouragements for an im- 

 proved agriculture. The population is rapidly increasing. The 

 county and vicinity abound in wealth. The best markets in the 

 country are accessible to it ; and it has ample resources for ma- 

 nure. I have already spoken of the extraordinary improvements 

 which have been made in it ; and of the equally extraordinary 

 compensations which have followed such improvements. These 

 improvements have been made under the most discouraging 

 circumstances ; and, therefore, leave no excuse for any farmer 

 to fail to do what can be done, and what he can do. The 

 profits of farming in Middlesex are demonstrated ; demonstra- 

 ted by the showing of the farmers themselves. Let any candid 

 man read the 7th Chapter of this Report, page 240, which con- 

 tains the frank and unbiassed statements of practical, plain farm- 

 ers, under no extraordinary advantages, and then say what hon- 

 est occupation yields a fairer recompense ? Let them look, 



