34(5 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



landed proprietors and tenant-farmers of England occupy a 

 large portion of the industrial thought and legislative work 

 of the kingdom. The solution of questions in which the 

 yeomanry are concerned is considered a most important 

 problem by the economist and the statesman. In its days of 

 prosperity agriculture is considered the pride of the people, 

 and in its adversity it is a foremost object of national solici- 

 tude. This is apparent in the hasty sketch I have been able 

 to give of a year's work in the stall and the field, in council 

 and in the encouragement of the producer. To us in America 

 certain questions occur, which are important here and which 

 perhaps might be important there. Why is it that the pas- 

 ture lands increase in acreage in the neio:hborhood of large 

 cities and in thickly peopled districts? I have seen small 

 sections so devoted to market o'ardenino' as to indicate the 

 adaptation of the soil and climate to that industry, and to 

 demonstrate the profits of such crops. Why is not this form 

 of agriculture included among the great crops which are 

 counted in the ao-ricultural statistics of the kino-dom ? The 

 American who believes in small farms is curious to know 

 why the Englishman, who has learned by sad experience how 

 unprofitable large farms are, does not endeavor to adopt 

 this rule. The Englishman is prompt and earnest in all 

 measures required for the safety of his cattle and his crops ; 

 extirpates pi euro-pneumonia as he would repel an invasion ; 

 shuts out foot and mouth disease as he would arm himself 

 against a burglar ; but he does not fully lift from his agricult- 

 ural population the load which weighs them down ; does not 

 adopt a system which would undoubtedly increase vastly his 

 wealth and prosperity. 



Let me now briefiy call the attention of the Board to the 

 agriculture in which we are immediately interested, — not by 

 way of comparison, but as a gratifying record. Massachu- 

 setts is not a large State, nor is it remarkable for the fertility 

 of its soil ; but the returns of its agricultural industry indicate 

 great energy and skill on the part of its agricultural popula- 

 tion. The cereal crop of 1888 was valued at $1,855,145. 

 The dairy products were so skillfully handled that they were 

 valued at $13,080, 53(). The hay crop was worth $9,676,893 ; 

 to which are to be added $2,680,804 on account of fruits and 



