100 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



our interest, yet Ave know that our salvation lies in the 

 other direction. 



My plea is for the horticultural branches, 1 ask for 

 them a juster recognition at the hands of men who are 

 interested merely in the success of agriculture in general. 

 There are thousands of farmers who have not yet become 

 marked as specialists. They are engaged in so-called 

 general farming. To them an acre of buckwheat is just as 

 good as an acre of American Beaut}' roses or an acre of 

 chickens or an acre of Jersey cows, if only they can make 

 a dollar from it. What I mean is, that they are not prej- 

 udiced in favor of any specialty, and they see no advantage 

 in one above another. There are many other men in other 

 circumstances who have a o-enuine oeneral interest in agri- 

 culture, without caring for one branch above another. All 

 such men are apt to rate the value of a given branch accord- 

 ing to the net income which it yields. If there are more 

 dollars invested in corn and hogs than in apples and lettuce, 

 then corn and hogs get their vote for first place. 



But we have shown that many of these cruder branches 

 of agriculture are rapidly waning in Massachusetts, Avhile 

 the more refined branches are still more rapidly gaining : 

 and we have also shown, Avhat is yet more important, that 

 the more refined branches are necessarily the leaders and 

 teachers of progress. Where are the battles of intensive 

 agriculture fought? Where are the delicate, the critical, 

 t\xe vital problems solved? In the orchard, the garden and 

 the greenhouse. It needs no demonstration to convince the 

 most skeptical person that the most intensive agriculture of 

 the Avorld is that of the man Avho grows lettuce or roses 

 under glass, or of the man who grows celerj^ and straw- 

 berries out of doors. That man is necessarily the leader in 

 all our agricultural progress. Let us accord to him the 

 recognition and the praise which his works merit. 



Professor Sanborn. Are not extensive and intensive 

 agriculture consistent Avith each other? Your figures seem 

 to shoAV there is some inconsistency. 



Professor Waugh. No, sir ; it is possible in individual 



