420 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



fact makes it imperative that we take some means by which 

 we can collect facts. All science has been built up upon facts. 

 And unless we take measures to collect them upon the subject 

 of agriculture, we never shall have any science here. There 

 is science enough upon the subject of agriculture to apply these 

 sciences to the art of agriculture, and next, to communicate 

 extensively a knowledge of the applications thus made, for the 

 general benefit of the profession of agriculture. I would take 

 the liberty to recommend to the worthy gentleman who last 

 spoke, to read this report before he makes objections to a plan 

 for the improvement of agriculture in Massachusetts. 



Remarks of Hon. Amasa Walker, Secretary of the Com- 

 monwealth : — 



Before we admit that confusion exists in relation to agricul- 

 ture, and all this chaos which the learned gentleman from 

 Amherst supposes, the question naturally arises, how happens 

 it that, at this late period, there should be so much chaos and 

 confusion with reference to agriculture? For I believe that 

 they do exist ; that there is ail this chaos, confusion, uncer- 

 tainty and the want of application of true science to agricul- 

 ture. And why, sir ? I have had occasion to notice recently 

 some very good reasons why all this should be true ; and the 

 general reason is this. 



We have a great number of agricultural societies in different 

 parts of the Commonwealth. Those societies carry on their 

 operations through the year. They have their exhibitions. 

 They offer their premiums. They have their reports. And 

 what does it all amount to ? It amounts to this, — that all 

 these different societies, as a general remark, have been operat- 

 ing upon different principles, that is, without any well estab- 

 lished and uniform principle, and hence they do not arrive at 

 any well established and uniform results. 



For instance, in the article of Indian corn, what do we 

 ascertain from the reports of all the agricultural societies in 

 this State ? We ascertain nothing that is true in relation to 

 any one point in regard to the raising of Indian corn in this 

 Commonwealth, because we have no uniform system on which 

 statistics arc made. For instance, in one society they have it 



