NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



From the Mass. Ag. Repository for June, 1824. 



On the imparlance and practkahililij of procuring 

 and puhlishinq a^riciiltitral surveys vftke sever- 

 al counties oj" this Slate. 



One of the earliest measures of the British 

 National Society for the Promotion of As^ricui- 

 ture was to procure a correct survey of the 

 several counties in England, and Scotland. The 

 French Agricultural Societies very early adopt- 

 ed the same course. We mention these exam- 

 ples, because some weight is deservedly due to 

 Ihe opinions and practice of the two most en- 

 lightened, and rival nations, in Europe. The 

 result of their efforts has been a more perfeet 

 geological, statistical, and agricultural account 

 of those countries, than could have beer, ob- 

 tained in any other way. In France, where 

 there are, we believe nearly as many agiicul- 

 tural societies as there are departments, there 

 exist the most ample means of ascertaining not 

 only the character of the soils of the several 

 departments, but of every branch of industry, 

 within these departments. In England, ind 

 Scotland, these surveys have been rendered 

 still more perfect, than in France, and tl.ey 

 have been deemed of so great importance as 

 to be incorporated in their latest scienific 

 work, the Supplement to the British Ency:lo- 

 paedia. Geography, before these minute sur- 

 veys, was a very limited science. It gave Ihe 

 boundaries of states, their rivers, lakes, moun- 

 tains and general productions, but it furnisied 

 little information as to the distinction of ttese 

 particulars in the several countries, of which it 

 professed to give an account. You might in- 

 deed learn that the tin mines were to be I'ound 

 in Cornwall, and the copper mines in Wales, 

 and-'Vnglesea — and iron mines in Dalecarlia, but 

 minute accounts of the geology, and produc- 

 tions of each coonty were unattainable. There 

 were indeed no means of ascertaining the com- 

 parative riches, and power of each district of 

 any state. Yet it cannot be doubted, that such 

 minute knowledge of the productions, and nat- 

 ural advantages of every part of any country is 

 essentially necessary to a sound, and judicious 

 estimate of its resources, and to an advantage- 

 ous application of these resources to the gen- 

 eral good. A county or district miglit possess 

 articles of great value and im[iortance to its 

 neighboring .listricts, but for want of a proper 

 ilitfusiun of the knowledge of the facts, the 

 neighboring districts might at great and unnec- 

 essary expense, seek from aliroad tliose_articles 

 which they could more cheaply obtain ft home. 

 A quarry ofslate upon o>ir present system, or of 

 coal, might remain for half a centlirv un- 

 known, or the knowledge of it lie contineil to 

 the vicinity, but a thorough examination of the 

 soil and productions of every county if, Ihe 

 state, and pui)lislied under the auspk:es of a 

 general society would soon make us familiar 

 with the capabilities of our country, and thus 

 essentially promote its prosperity. The cours- 

 es of rivers, and streams, iheir falls, their ca- 

 pacity to give extension to our increasing man- 

 ufactures, would be soon made known, instead 

 of the present tardy process of individual exer- 

 tion. We should also have a much better com- 

 parative view of the resources of every part 

 of the commonwealth, and those portions, 

 which were defective in their agriculture, and 

 maoufactores, would learn from those, which 



were more advanced, and strive to emulaie or 

 exceed them. 



It is to be doubted, whether any, the most 

 intelligent man in the state, could give a tolera- 

 bly accurate account of the soil, productions, 

 agricultural practices, or usages of any one 

 county in the stale, except the one in which he 

 resides, and it may he questioned whether any 

 man, however intelligent, is at present able to 

 give a correct account even of his omn county. 

 Such an account can only be procured by the 

 united efforts of many enlightened men among 

 whom must be included some persons of sci- 

 ence. That the natural history of our own 

 state was imperfectly known ten years since is 

 proved by the works of Bigelow, and Webster, 

 and Hitchcock. No man who has read Iheir 

 works can deny, that he has learned much 

 which he did not know before, and yet these 

 learned men will be the first to admit, that our 

 country has been as yet very imperfectly explor- 

 ed. It is as true that we are ignorant of the 

 productions of our state in Ihe gross, whether 

 it respects our agriculture or our manufactures. 

 The miserable and defective details taken by 

 the officers appointed to return the census who 

 were paid a per diem allowance, scarcely de- 

 serve the name of information. 



The most natural course of obtaining this in- 

 formation, the most easy, and the most perfect 

 would be the voluntary exertions of the several 

 local societies for promoting agriculture. 



Their employments are now too few lor their 

 numbers, and their talents. They require a 

 new and specific object of research to encour- 

 age, invigorate and stimulate their exertions. 

 That object will be found in collecting the ma- 

 terials for a statistical history of their several 

 counties — their natural advantages or disadvan- 

 tages — their improvements in agriculture, and 

 in manufactures, their races of animals — the 

 several breeds which they raise and encourage 

 — whether they have derived any benefit from 

 modern changes in them, and how great. By 

 such an effort, the local societies will have the 

 esprit du corps, the local pride encouraged. — 

 While every report will be confined to a fair 

 exhibition of facts, yet knowing, that every 

 neighboring county will be their rivals, and strict 

 judges, each society will be induced to give 

 as f'ull and favorable an account, as facts will 

 authorize them to do and no more. There will 

 be a struggle also as to the comparative lalent 

 which shall be exhibited in the several returns. 

 As these reports will be printed by the General 

 Society, and form a part of the history of the state, 

 the ability with which any particular county re- 

 port shall be executed, will be known throughout 

 Ihe Union, and perhaps in Europe. The local 

 societies will probably select the ablest men in 

 every branch to give the history of that brunch. 

 We may hope then to advance by these means 

 more efficiently than we could by any other, 

 the geographical, geological, agricultural his- 

 tory of this state. It is true we have no funds 

 to pay gentlemen for this attention. We have 

 not the 22,000 dollars per annum at the dispo- 

 sal of Ihe British Royal Society — nor have we 

 the aid which has been most nobly afforded by 

 Stephen Van Hansselaer, Esq. for a geological 

 and agricultural survey of the county of Alba- 

 ny, but we offer what in New England is, we 

 hope, enough, puilic favour, and reputation to 

 the contribute n. We fully believe, that if the 



local societies will cautiously, and with a deep 

 conviction of its importance, name gentlemen of 

 their own counties. ;t superintend the work, se- 

 lecting botanists for that bYanch. Geologists and 

 mineralogists for these sciences-and intelligent 

 cultivators, and experienced manufacturers for 

 these departments, we may have the pleasure and 

 benefit ofhaving detailed surveysof each country, 

 of which we may be proud, and we pledge our- 

 selves, that this journal shall, to the exclusion of 

 all other matter, if it be necessary, be devoted 

 to this important department of knowledge. 



As to the benefits which such an inquiry and 

 such publications will confer on the agriculture 

 of the state, we should hope there could be no 

 dissenting or doubting opinions. If no one 

 man knew, what his neighbour did, he never 

 could learn any thing new except by his own 

 unaided genius, and as invention and genius are 

 rai'e gifts, the progress would be necessarily 

 slow. Such is our present state in a consider- 

 able degree. We know not the actual state of 

 improvement beyond our own limited sphere 

 It will be seen, that if our plan, which is that 

 of the English surveys, shall be carried into 

 execution, we shall knozs) all lh;\t we could wish 

 to know, as to every part of the state. 



We have not the sanguine confidence to hope, 

 or expect, that our suggestions will be at once 

 carried into complete effect, yet we do hope, 

 that some two or three of the most opulent 

 counties will commence it. We hope that 

 Worcestei, Essex, Berkshire and Hampshire 

 will attempt it. If they do not, it will certain- 

 ly not arise from deficiency of talent in those 

 counties ; but we apprehend, from doubtingiis 

 utililii. Yet we should ask, in what better mode 

 can you procure a good statistical account of 

 our country ? and how can the members of the 

 agricultural societies be more honorably or ad- 

 vantageously employed than by devoting their 

 time to the extension of the means of ascer- 

 taining the actual state of industry ? 



The surveys in France and England have 

 generally extended to the following objects;-^ 

 the description and natural, and statistical histo- 

 ry of the several counties, districts and depart- 

 ments — "their situation, extent, divisions, 

 (such as towns, parishes, &c.) — form and sur- 

 face, whether mountainous or flat, or partly the 

 one and the other — climato, soils, minerals, wa- 

 leis, including lakes, ponds and rivers — canals, 

 agriculture, including breeds of cattle — ag- 

 ricultural productions, modes of management, 

 manufactures, commerce, and population." 



Although it cannot bo expected that we shall 

 receive as full returns, and as cmplete a history 

 as in countries where it is effected by govern- 

 mental aid, yet we thinlc that our county socie- 

 ties may if they deem it worthy of their atten- 

 tion furnish very interesting accouiits of their 

 respective counties. Where there are gentle- 

 men who are conversant with botany it would 

 be very desirable to add some account of their 

 plants, particularly of their forest trees — and of 

 the slate of their forests. It cannot he doubted 

 that such an inquiry would conduce in a greater 

 degree to tbo knowledge of the true sta!< of our 

 country, and do more towards the advancement of 

 its agriculture than any thing which we have as 

 yet effected It ought to be known by way of 

 stimulus that the French surveys which have 

 been very ample and satisfactory have been 

 made at private expence chiefly. 



