248 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



general education. Massachusetts has the science at her hands 

 — I am sure she will not reject it. She has a great industry in 

 her keeping — I am sure she will protect it. And while I call 

 upon her to patronize still her agricultural education, and to 

 protect the property of her farmers, by State assayers to exam- 

 ine and test our fertilizers, and by veterinary professors to guide 

 us in the protection of our animals, I think it proper to remind 

 you here of her energy and enterprise in order that we may 

 fully understand to what a system of material and educational 

 effort her farms, and societies, and schools and colleges belong. 



And now, in the first place, of her efforts to improve her 

 material condition by all the arts of peace. More than thirty 

 years ago she commenced a system of public improvements, by 

 loaning her credit to the enterprise of her citizens ; and the 

 fruits of her wisdom in this respect are before us. In 1830, 

 before a railroad was running within her limits, when her 

 ao-ricultural and commercial wealth constituted nearly all her 

 resources, manufactures being still in their infancy, her valua- 

 tion amounted to $208,360,403. In 1840, while her railroad 

 system was yet in its infancy, and the effect of her loans was 

 yet doubtful, her valuation had increased to $297,878,327. In 

 1860, however, under the influence of her public liberality and 

 her private enterprises, the valuation of her property increased 

 to 8897,796,326 ; and in 1865 to 11,009,000,000. Of the prod- 

 ucts of her industry Gov. Bullock in his last annual message 

 remarks : " I am enabled to announce to every holder of a 

 Massachusetts bond, whether at home or abroad, the fact that 

 while the first report indicated an annual product of eighty-six 

 millions of dollars, the second of one hundred and twenty-four 

 millions, and the third of two hundred and ninety-five millions, 

 the fourth and last exhibits an aggregate of five hundred and 

 seventeen millions, ($517,000,000.) And this result is yet 

 more gratifying, and no less remarkable, when it is remem- 

 bered that the increase of seventy-two per cent, on production 

 in the last decade has been attained with an increase of only 

 three per cent, in our population." 



The indications of prosperity witnessed everywhere are not 

 less remarkable than these figures. Under the hands of her cit- 

 izens towns have sprung into existence, her streams have been 

 directed into profitable labor, her hillsides and her valleys have 



