26 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



should be thoroughly and broadly investigated, and I regret 

 that it will not be in my power -to be present, to join in the 

 discussion, and to learn of others. It cannot be explored too 

 much. Massachusetts cannot be expected to rival Ohio, and 

 Illinois, and Texas in raising wool ; but she can excel them in 

 raising sheep, for the benefit of those large wool-growing States, 

 if the farmers will turn their attention to the business as the 

 farmers of Vermont have long done, with great success. Here, 

 in New England, is the great seed-bed — so to speak — of American 

 merino sheep, which, when carried to a warmer climate and 

 more luxuriant pastures, take on larger size and coarser wool, 

 and less of it, but which, reared on our short, sweet pastures, 

 and in this colder climate, possess a firm, hardy nature, and 

 when carried to those other States keep the pure blood con- 

 stantly alive there. I hope that when this subject comes up, it 

 will be dealt with as one of the most important branches of 

 industry in the Commonwealth, and that farmers will be encour- 

 aged to enter into it with all the light which science and the 

 best practice in breeding will afford. 



There is another subject which I trust will be brought up. 

 It is the matter of peat as an article of fuel. Almost all our 

 farms in Massachusetts are supplied with a peat-bog of larger or 

 smaller dimensions. I suppose there is peat-fuel enough in 

 Massachusetts to supply all the stationary engines, and all the 

 locomotives, and all the furnaces, grates and cooking-stoves with 

 heat for, I do not know but three centuries to come. The 

 question is, how are we to get at tliis fuel? In its present form 

 it is said to be unwieldy, and it is moreover stated that it has 

 been tried on railroads and has failed to furnish sufficient inten- 

 sity of heat. But there must be, and there is a process by 

 which peat can be put into such a form as to be a most admira- 

 ble fuel. Now, while the present prices of coal continue, it 

 costs the people of this State ahuost as much to run a stove or 

 ^n engine as it does to run a thoroughbred horse. It seems to 

 me it is time that attention should be turned to the investiga- 

 tion of this matter. It is said that peat can be put into such a 

 form, by machines already in existence, that it can be placed in 

 the New York market for three dollars per ton. This is the 

 cost price of placing it there, leaving a pretty fair margin for 

 a profit if it should sell as coal now sells. If the statements 



