162 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



dwelt so much, and sometimes alone, that I am gratified to find 

 somebody with me. 



The first point is in respect to growing wheat in Massachusetts. 

 Two years ago, I occupied the time of the New England Agricul- 

 tural Society at its annual meeting, in recommending to the far- 

 mers of New England the growing of small patches of wheat on 

 their farms as a mode of providing themselves with good flour, in- 

 stead of purchasing from the West. I stated at the time, that I 

 had no doubt there was a process of wheat culture that would 

 succeed here. I have no doubt of it. Wheat growing fell into 

 disrepute here from two causes. One was, that the crop, to a 

 considerable extent, failed ; and the other was, that the supply 

 from the West was abundant. Now, gentlemen, it failed here 

 on account of a want of proper cultivation ; there is no doubt 

 about that at all. I am satisfied that if the farmers of New 

 England will devote themselves to discovering the proper way 

 of growing wheat, they can raise from twenty-five to thirty 

 bushels to the acre, and raise it to a profit, so far as their own 

 consumption is concerned. I think I see gentlemen in this hall 

 who will agree with me on that point, that wheat has been 

 raised and can be raised in Massachusetts to a profit. 



With regard to wheat growing in the West, it is one of the 

 best illustrations of the results of loose and careless farming 

 that we have had in this country. Prof. Chadbourne tells you 

 that the West proposes to emulate the East in manufactures, 

 and I am not at all surprised that, after their mode of culti- 

 vating the different crops, they are turning round to ascertain, if 

 possible, some means by which they can manufacture ; but I 

 want them to understand, that if they make woollen goods upon 

 the same plan on which they have been cultivating their land, 

 they will wish all their nianufacturing establishments were 

 somewhere in Berkshire County before they get half way through 

 with them. It is a well-known fact, established by the most 

 careful investigations, that owing to the careless, loose cultiva- 

 tion of the West, the lands are becoming exhaus'ted and worn 

 out, and, more than all th'91;, are becoming so overrun with 

 weeds, that the growing of a large wheat crop upon old wheat 

 lands is an utter impossibility. 



Taking these two things into consideration, I say, let us turn 

 our attention to the growing, not of great masses of wheat, but 



