No. 4.] SOIL VARIATION. 31 



with its possibilities. I found one man clearing the rocks 

 ott' of land at an approximate cost of $100 per acre, to say 

 nothing of the time, energy and perseverance needed for such 

 an undertaking, and he said that it paid him to do it. lie 

 was carrying on just this kind of general farming, apples, 

 dairying and so on. If one man can find it profitable to put 

 so much money into increasing his permanent investment, 

 and I Avili say that when he got the rocks all ofi", the soil was 

 as good as could be found anywhere - — why should we sell our 

 places here and go somewhere else, and pay a higher price 

 for land that is not nearly as good ? Here we have the best 

 markets in the world, at least in the United States. These 

 soils, perhaps, are not now in such condition that you could 

 get as good a crop off them next year as you could oft' the 

 prairie soils of Illinois and Iowa, where the latter are level 

 and productive, but the soil is naturally good, and it can be 

 bought for $40, $30, $25 and even $10 an acre, right in the 

 midst of these rich markets. It seems to me that ]\Iassachu- 

 setts need fear competition from no section located further 

 west than New England. 



Aftekin'Oon Session. 



Secretary Eleswoetii, It is a pleasure to introduce to 

 you Mr. Frederick A. IJussell of Methuen, who represents 

 the Essex Agricultural Society on the Board of Agriculture, 

 and Vvdio will preside this afternoon. 



j\Ir. RussEEE. The subject for this afternoon is one that 

 interests all in New England, and especially us of jNEassa- 

 chusetts. When we hear what we did this morning of Massa- 

 chusetts we cannot but feel that we are living in one of the 

 best spots on the continent. T am pleased to introduce Mr. 

 George A. Drew, superintendent of Couyers Farm, Green- 

 wich, Conn. 



