NORFOLK SOCIETY. 319 



342,000 acres of land, which at that time were classed as 

 ^^ unimproved^'' or ^' unimprovable,^^ — and it further appears, 

 that although the tillage lands have been increased sixteen per 

 cent., in the same time, yet the grain crops have increased only 

 ten per cent., showing a relative depreciation of six per cent. ; 

 — and that during the same period, the upland and other mow- 

 ing lands have increased nearly fifteen per cent., yet the hay 

 crops have been increased only about three per cent., showing a 

 relative depreciation of twelve per cent. 



In 1840, the population of Massachusetts was 737,700, re- 

 quiring, at six bushels per head, 4,426,200 bushels of bread 

 stuffs for their subsistence. Of this, the soil produced 3,705,261 

 bushels, leaving 700,000 bushels to be supplied by foreign pro- 

 duction. But in 1850, the population of the Commonwealth 

 is one million, an increase of thirty-three and two-thirds per 

 cent., requiring si.v iniUions of bushels of bread stuffs for con- 

 sumption, and of which she raises but about foiir millions, 

 leaving two millions of bushels to be supplied by foreign pro- 

 duction, showing a relative increase of the deficiency of twenty- 

 three per cent. ; and should the inhabitants of this Common- 

 wealth increase in the same ratio for the next, as for the last 

 ten years, and without a corresponding increase of the grain 

 crops, we shall, at the close of that term, be dependent on for- 

 eign resources for nearly four millions of bushels of bread 

 stuffs, annually. 



These facts are full of instruction. They lead us to the 

 conclusion, that however productive other labor may have 

 been, on the whole, the interest in agriculture, during this pe- 

 riod, has been on the wane. They also suggest the following 

 reflections. 



Is it not evident that unless we awake to the real importance 

 of this subject; — unless there is a decided improvement in the 

 arts of cultivation, which shall lessen the toil, and render this 

 employment more lucrative, this most important avocation will 

 continue to decline ? 



The experiments in scientific cultivation and a judicious ro- 

 tation in crops, have abundantly proved that reliance cannot 

 safely be placed on the ordinary method of farming for a profit. 



