vi APPENDIX. 



son are held in remembrance, it will be regarded as the home of genius 

 and letters, while a host of witnesses will testify to the hospitality, intel- 

 ligence and refinement of the people who compose this lovely village. 



Here, too, is the home of the Concord grape and its originator, whose 

 enthusiasm in his chosen work knows neither intermission nor decay, 

 and -whose prophetic eye waits patiently for the day that shall witness 

 the triumph of his skill, and attest the value of his labors in the produc- 

 tion of a grape which, even in the rigors of a New England climate, 

 and upon our rocky hillsides, will show a vintage not unfit to be com- 

 pared with that of sunny France herself. 



One of the most noticeable things in regard to the agriculture of 

 Middlesex County, is the increase of her market-garden products, and 

 the extension of this branch of industry to localities hitherto thought to 

 be too remote from market for its pi-ofitable pursuit. 



From fifty to seventy-five years ago Eoxbury and the adjoining 

 region was the garden of Boston. Crowded out of this by the increase 

 of business and population, Cambridge and West Cambridge have suc- 

 cessively become the centres of this interest, until now the goodly city, 

 in her desire to spread herself, threatens to cover these lands also with 

 suburban residences, and so push out the gardening business into the 

 belt of towns beyond. 



This county, from its size and proximity to markets, will probably 

 for a long time take the lead of all others in the State in this important 

 interest. A reference to the statistics of Massachusetts for 1860 will 

 show that its importance is not likely to be overestimated. I find there 

 that the products of the market-gardens of this county alone amounted 

 to nearly eight hundred thousand dollars, which is nearly one-quarter 

 more than what was produced by the rest of the State, greatly increased 

 since. Somewhat surprised by this statement, I was induced to look at 

 the other products of the county by way of comparison. 



The county contains a little more than one-ninth of the improved 

 land of the State. The cash value of her farms is about one-fifth. The 

 value of farming implements is between one-third and one-fourth. She 

 owns one-sixth of the horses, more than one-fifth of the cows, and nearly 

 one-sixth of the swine. She raises more than her proportion of corn 

 and oats ; one-fourth of the pease and beans ; one-sixth of the potatoes ; 

 one-eighth of the barley ; one-third of the value of orchard products ; 

 one-sixth of the wine ; more than one-seventh of the hay ; more than 

 one-third of the grass-seeds, not including clover ; about one-third of 

 the hops. In no articles of considerable value does she fall below her 

 proportion, excepting those of sheep, wheat and buckwheat. 



From the above, it appeai-s that, with a surface of improved land 

 equal to about one-ninth of the State, she furnishes, in the most impor- 



