iv ADVERTISEMENT. 



crop of 145 bushels to the acre has been obtained in one of the 

 counties, a quantity so far exceeding that obtained in any other 

 section of the country, as to give rise to the belief that such a 

 mode of estimating the corn crop, must be very defective, thus 

 destroying all confidence in any comparison that might be made 

 between the crops of the different counties. 



The same complaint in regard to want of precision and uni- 

 formity, might be made in regard to the produce of milch cows. 

 In truth, it is believed that there is such a want of regularity 

 and system in the modes of ascertaining the most important 

 facts connected with agricultural operations, that a large part 

 of the useful inferences and deductions which might otherwise 

 be drawn from these returns are in a great degree, lost. 



It is therefore respectfully suggested that measures should be 

 taken to obtain the desired accuracy and uniformity, and this 

 it is believed cannot be easily accomplished, if at all, except 

 by regulations established by law. As an annual grant of 

 money is made to each society, would it not be reasonable and 

 practicable to require all the societies receiving the bounty of 

 the State, to make returns according to prescribed forms, prepared 

 for the purpose and furnished by the State to each society, in a 

 manner similar to those provided for the common schools ? 

 Would not great good result to the societies themselves, and to 

 the cause of agricultural knowledge generally, by the adoption 

 of this course ? 



The Worcester Society has already prescribed a form or 

 " schedule of produce of dairies " which as an approximation, 

 at least to the desired system, so far as one article of produce 

 is concerned, we annex as a sample : — 



'' Schedule of Produce of Dairies for the Society Fair; 

 FOR 1851. — To secure uniformity in the returns and to obtain 

 facts, the Worcester Agricultural Society requires of each indi- 

 vidual intending to enter into competition for the premiums of- 

 fered for onilch cows, to file with the recording secretary at the 

 time of making entry of their animal, written answers to the 

 following questions, viz : 



1. What number of cows constitute your dairy ? 



