72 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



air is food and strength to the soil. With all these resources 

 in your hands, with all these powers at your command, you 

 should have a keen sense of your responsibilities and duties, 

 and an ardent desire to perform them. 



For long years the farmer was patient in his hard toil and 

 labor. With but few tools and those of simple construction, he 

 put his seed into the ground, gathered his harvests, and felt 

 that he had done his duty. But the light of agricultural 

 sgience has gradually shone in upon his mind, and he has, from 

 year to year, by slow and steady progress, elevated the standard 

 of farm work from a condition which, in many instances, was 

 that of an unlettered drudgery, to the exalted position of high 

 scientific benefaction. Waste swamps, which were once worse 

 than useless, are now reclaimed and made the most profitable 

 part of the farm. The grass and grain annually raised upon 

 these reclaimed lands, are essential and important items in 

 conducting the various duties of life ; as many a dray horse who 

 draws the rich merchandise of all parts of the world over the 

 pavements of our populous cities would testify, if he had but 

 the power of speech. Really, " the wilderness shall blossom like 

 the rose," when the hand of industry, directed by the scientific 

 mind is applied even to these dismal abodes of snakes and 

 frogs. 



The modern farmer has some knowledge of the nature and 

 qualities of different soils, of the various fertilizers, whether 

 animal, mineral or vegetable, their proper application, and the 

 particular crops to which they can to the best advantage be 

 applied. He also understands something of that economy 

 which secures, retains and returns to the soil tlie vegetable pro- 

 ducts which have been taken from it, and the various methods 

 of making and using composts. But in these respects the 

 farmer should be much better educated than he is; he should 

 know more of the nature and composition of his soils, its 

 deficiencies in every one of his fields, and the best method of 

 supplying its wants, by applying just such fertilizing agents as 

 will bring it into the best possible condition for the raising of the 

 crop to which any piece of land is best adapted. In the con- 

 struction of his house, his barns and other buildings ; in the 

 improvement of breeds of cattle, horses and swine ; in the use 

 of improved tools and labor-saving machines, and in other 



