160 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Therefore, no farmer that owns a horse has a right to rake his 

 hay by hand and let his horse stand in the stable or run in the 

 pasture. And no farmer that cuts hay sufficient for twenty head 

 of cattle and a horse, can afford to be without one of the im- 

 proved rakes mounted upon wheels ; it is a great labor-saving 

 machine and should be in the hands of every practical farmer. 



Now as hay is the principal crop raised in New England, every 

 farmer should be well armed with such farm implements as have 

 been invented, and still greater inducements should be given 

 that greater improvements maybe made. It is well known that 

 a farmer cannot afford, at the present high prices of poor labor, 

 to harvest his hay crop with manual labor alone ; hence horse 

 power must come in. Moreover, we believe it morally wrong for 

 men to undertake to do that kind of work that can so easily be 

 done by horses. 



We believe that the great reason why farmers' boys are so 

 anxious to leave the farm and go in pursuit of other business is 

 in consequence of so much drudgery and hard work. The bone 

 and muscle are too much exercised and the mind too much 

 chained and narrowed down. Every farmer should endeavor to 

 give his boys a good common school education, at least, and if 

 his means are adequate to go beyond this, all the better. Why 

 should not the boy who intends to become a farmer, be as well 

 educated as though intended for mercantile or any other pur- 

 suit ? Boys should be taught in the school-room as well as at 

 home, that farming is healthy and honorable and independent, 

 not low and degrading. 



But agriculture has not kept pace with other pursuits in mak- 

 ing improvements. It is not a science by itself, but connected 

 with other sciences, and the farmers have yet much to learn in 

 the matter of reclaiming waste lands — the cultivation of fruit 

 trees — the rotation of crops — the application of manures and 

 fertilizers — field drainage, &c. 



E. Graham, /or the Committee. 



