180 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE DAIRY AND ITS PRODUCTS. 



An Address delivered at the Meeting of the Mass. State Hoard of 

 Agriculture, at Amherst, December 10, 1868. 



BY X. A. WILLAED, A.M., OF HERKIMER CO., N. Y. 



Mr. President and Members of the Massachusetts State Board 

 of Agriculture, — I am told there are large tracts of land in 

 Massacliusetts adapted to the dairy, and it is a matter which 

 concerns the prosperity of the State whether this branch of 

 farming promises to be remunerative and enduring. The true 

 dairy lands of America are somewhat limited in extent, and it 

 is believed by many that the time is rapidly approaching when 

 the demand for dairy products will be largely in excess of pro- 

 duction. Last year, (1867,) though the make both in Europe 

 and America was the largest ever known, it was not beyond a 

 healthy consumptive demand, while the product both of butter 

 and cheese this year, on account of the severe drought in Great 

 Britain, it is thought, will be much less than what is really 

 needed. 



The history of Eastern farming goes to show that no character 

 of farm lands has increased in value in the ratio of that in the 

 dairy districts. I am not prepared to say whether this rule 

 holds good here ; but the time will come, I apprehend, when the 

 dairy lands of Massachusetts, location and other things being 

 equal, will command the most money. 



In making this comparison, farming lands, in the ordinary 

 acceptation of the term, are meant. 



Lands covered with hop plantations, with vineyards or orch- 

 ards, or in the vicinity of cities, where market-gardening is in 

 successful operation, owe much of their value to their improve- 

 ments, and cannot, therefore, be counted in the comparison. 



It is alleged that the true grazing dairy lands are more valu- 

 able than grain lands, because, first, they are of more limited 

 extent ; second, the grasses have fewer enemies to contend with, 

 and give the most reliable results for any series of years ; third, 

 that dairy farms can be carried on at less expense ; that they 

 are constantly increasing in fertility ; that the products of the 

 dairy are earlier and more readily turned into cash ; that the 

 product of the farm is concentrated into a small compass, and 

 hence the cost of transportation is reduced to the minimum ; 



