148 Reviews. — Fourth Report of 



attainment becomes elevated and enlarged. How can it be expected 

 then to meet the wishes and expectations of others? It is no small 

 gratification to me that the survey has been spoken of in terms of 

 approbation in several parts of the country, and by those in foreign 

 countries, whose esteem is a high honor. If among ourselves, from 

 those whose co-operation seemed most naturally demanded, it has 

 failed, through any motive, to receive the encouragement which it 

 had reason to hope, it has been to me an occasion only of unfeigned 

 regret. It is the misfortune of some minds never to look at any 

 thing but through optics clouded or distorted by a groveling selfish- 

 ness. To take enlarged and generous views of large subjects, and 

 to merge all personal considerations in the good proposed and sought, 

 belongs only to that small and higher class of minds who preserve 

 their purity untainted, in an age diseased to the very core with av- 

 arice, party spirit, or personal ambition. It is sometimes extremely 

 mortifying to learn by what influences many of the most valuable 

 interests of the community are affected. It is sufficiently illustrative 

 of the manner in which public business is sometimes managed, ob- 

 jects are brought up or objects put down, to state, that of a large 

 committee of the Legislature, to whom the inquiry into the expe- 

 diency or inexpediency of continuing the Agricultural Survey was 

 in one case, if not in more, committed, there is good i-eason to think 

 that not a single individual of the committee, who objected to its con- 

 tinuance, had ever seen either of the three Reports of the Commis- 

 sioner, or, in fact, knew what had been done." 



We would that our pages would allow us to give a larger 

 extract, for the views of the Commissioner in relation to the 

 improvement of agriculture are our own views; and we wish 

 to have them published far and wide, that all may learn how 

 important it is for the State to foster and encourage a subject 

 of such vital interest. 



The Report commences with the county of Franklin, giv- 

 ing an account of the crops — the dairy — live stock — reports 

 of farms — silk culture, &c. This is followed by the county 

 of Middlesex, of which a similar description of the crops 

 and products and agricultural improvements is given. Among 

 the accounts of particular farms, we find that of J. P. Gushing, 

 Esq. ; and some excellent hints on the making of manure are 

 given by Mr. Haggerston, the intelligent foreman of the place. 

 Among others, is that of Mr. George Pierce, an extensive 

 market gardener; and in order to give our readers some idea 

 of the extent of this branch of gardening around Boston, we 

 copy the repoVt entire. 



"George Pierce, whom I have already named, has a home lot of 

 little more than seven acres which he cultivates, in the same favored 

 district of which I have been speaking. Besides this, he soraetimea 



