1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT— No. 4. 309 



way of future improvements, aud we are constantly seeing 

 these predictions verified. What will the next century bring 

 forth in the line of improvements for the benefit of the 

 farmer and manufacturer ? I predict that in the large prairie 

 farms of the West the motive power will be electricity ; that 

 the wind will generate the electricity ; that a gang of 

 ploughs will be made to work automatically, and the fields 

 can be ploughed while the farmer sleeps ; that scientific 

 experiments will teach him the habits and weaknesses of the 

 enemies of his crops, and they will have to relegate to the 

 antipodes ; the shepherd will hypnotize his flock, and have 

 them at his merciful control ; the breeder of domestic cattle 

 will make his cattle domestic ; rapid transit will be revolu- 

 tionized, passengers and mails will be carried by aerial 

 winds, and freight from the great producing centres of the 

 West will be forwarded by pneumatic dispatch to the sea- 

 board, at less than it now costs to haul it between Boston 

 and Springfield. With these gigantic strides within a 

 century, the old saying will need to be transposed to read, 

 "Man wants but little here below, but wants that little 

 quick." 



