THE 



THIRTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THB 



SECRETARY 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AG-RICULTURE. 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of 



Massachusetts. 



The year has not been remarkable for the prosperity of 

 farming, nor has it been marked by any special calamity. 

 Our population engaged in agriculture has been well sup- 

 ported. There has been no sign of suffering, discontent or 

 anxiety noted at our public gatherings ; no strikes among 

 our laborers, nor murmurs of complaint from them in regard 

 to hours of labor or amount of washes. 



Farmers have not grown richer, but they have held their 

 own, and probably increased the productive capacity of their 

 land, with the exception of their pastures. 



We had our usual experience of summer drouth over the 

 greater part of the Commonwealth ; in several counties the 

 grass, our chief crop, was much injured, and it was below 

 the average in all the counties. All garden crops were 

 heavy ; potatoes gave a good yield of excellent quality ; 

 fruit was abundant, and the apple harvest was remarkable ; 



[7] 



