1912-13] NEW ENGLAND AGRICULTURE 37 



In the discussion which followed the meeting, Mr. Ellsworth 

 said that there were practically no abandoned farms in Massa- 

 chusetts. There are some farms whose houses have been 

 burned and never rebuilt, but should you investigate, you would 

 find that there is some one paying the taxes. In cases like this, 

 the owner has generally left the land to grow timber and 

 used as pasture, this being more profitable than growing crops 

 on the land. 



A short time ago a member of the Legislature asked Mr. 

 Ellsworth to issue pamphlets by which poor people would be 

 enabled to go into the country, thus ridding the city of a great 

 portion of its poor. Instead, pamphlets were issued for the 

 benefit of the people who had a little money and considerable 

 brain, for it is said that the foreigners who make up the largest 

 amount of our poor, have no knowledge of scientific farming. 

 Then it was found that the people would study only one subject 

 out of the several pubhshed in the booklet; so it was decided 

 to issue smaller pamphlets on the most popular subjects. 

 Those which have had the widest pubhcation and distribu- 

 tion are the following: 



Orcharding; now in its second edition. 

 Poultry; third edition now in preparation. 

 Small Fruits and Berries. 



Mr. W. D. Ross was then called upon to speak, but said 

 there were only a few facts about the Land Show that Mr. 

 Ellsworth omitted. One of these was an Alaskan Elk made 

 entirely of Alaskan grasses, as was the rug on which it stood . He 

 also said that there were two hundred Kentucky singers, who 

 entertained the visitors at the Land Show. 



Mr. Ellsworth then said that it was wiser to stick to one crop, 

 than, in case this year's crop failed, to change it next year to 

 something else. For, although it may fail this year, who knows 

 but that it will be the most profitable crop on the market next 

 year. A North Orange man, who makes no pretense of being a 

 farmer, made, with the help of his children, $1,500 over and 

 abovp expenses one year. 



