1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 117 



and fix the price of the surplus. What for? How did it 

 happen that the tune was changed? Because they wanted 

 we should come and take the curse off of the price for the 

 surplus that they expected to put on for the October 

 milk. I ask the judgment of the milk producers before me 

 on this question, Has organization done anything for the 

 Massachusetts farmers ? 



Voices, — " Yes, yes." 



Mr. Lynde. I would like to ask the gentleman how 

 much there is in a can. 



Mr. Fitch. Eight and a half quarts. 



Dr. Loring. I would like to say one word this morning 

 upon a topic which the distinguished lecturer discussed, of 

 a rather more general nature than that which has occupied 

 the attention of the meeting since he closed. I think New 

 England farmers are capable of discussing almost any ques- 

 tion of a practical nature. I see men here who are experts 

 in market gardening ; I see men here who are experts in 

 managing the dairy ; I see men here who know all about 

 orcharding. If I wanted to learn anything in regard to any 

 one of these specific things, I should know perfectly well 

 where to so in order to get the information I wanted. But I 

 desire to say one word in defence of New England farmers. 

 It has become extremely fashionable for men to decry 

 farming in Massachusetts. There are certain organs that 

 are continually dwelling upon the diminished number of farms 

 in the New England States. We do not hear these views 

 expressed in regard to any other State. We seldom see any 

 account of abandoned farms in New York or in Wisconsin. 



Governor Hoard. We have got them. We have got 

 some that ought to be abandoned. 



Dr. Loring. I say we do not often see any account of 

 abandoned farms in other States, but here it is continually 

 sounded in our ears that the farms of New England are being 

 abandoned on account of their unprofitable character. Now, 

 it is true that the farms of this State have been reduced 

 about four thousand from 1870 to 1890 ; that is, there were 

 forty-seven thousand farms in 1870, and now there are about 

 forty-three thousand. The question arises whether that 

 indicates the precise condition and activity of Massachusetts 



