140 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



and in every department shows judgment, fine stock and fair 

 crops. 



Messrs. S. own and cultivate a market farm; as good exam 

 ples_as this county furnishes of industry, order, neatness and 

 success. Farm small, hut thoroughly worked and profitahle ; 

 probably more profitable than it would be if twice as large. 



We might multiply such extracts from our notes. There are 

 hundreds of similar farms and farmers in the county. We 

 have learned to hold in high respect, the men who reflect so 

 much credit on this noble vocation, and show that on our soil 

 persevering industry, guided by intelligence, can produce results 

 that compare favorably with those of any part of the Common- 

 weal tli. Wo have a much higher opinion of the farms and of the 

 skill and industry of the farmers in Needham, Dover, Medfield, 

 Mcdway, Franklin and other towns in that section of the county, 

 than we had before. We saw many farms, where the manage- 

 ment would do credit to any part of the country, and where 

 the example set is doing a silent yet certain work in promoting 

 improvements that add much yearly to the productiveness ot 

 the farms. But we are prompted to add, that the improvements 

 already made should be regarded as incentives to greater efforts. 

 The much that is done is by no means the measure of what may 

 be done. Especially in the raising of stock, this part of the 

 county has uncommon facilities, which do not seem to be fully 

 improved. Its good pastures and mowings might be made to 

 increase the extent of its grain fields. We are scarcely satisfied 

 with what we so much admire, so impressed are we with the 

 conviction that even better things are within the reach of these 

 farmers. On the other hand, we see many instances of poor 

 farming, poor in view of the progress of mankind in other pur- 

 suits. In manufactures and the mechanic arts, men would 

 soon fail if they exhibited the same indifference to fundamental 

 principles and scientific processes, which characterize some of 

 the cultivators of the soil, who walk in the old paths without 

 so much as an inquiry whether, there are new and better, who 

 remain stationary or are retrograding amid the general marvels 

 of the age. 



The best evidences of progressive improvement among the 

 farmers of our county are, first, an almost every where expressed 

 desire for it and f^iitli that it may be attained. Few arc found 



