8 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Rev. Henry Colraan delivered the annual address at Andovcr, 

 September 29, 1831. This was one of Mr. Colman's earliest 

 efforts in that cause to which he devoted so usefully the latter 

 years of his life. In this address he stated that " ploughing is 

 too deep when it buries all the richer parts of the soil, and 

 brings to the top only a cold and gravelly substance, unless 

 you have manure in such abundance that you can create a 

 new vegetable surface." He says, " Late ploughing in the 

 spring is preferable to early." Quotes from Curwen, that 

 " by making use of dung in its freshest state the farmer may 

 extend his cropping to one-third more land with the same 

 quantity of manure." 



Rev. Gardner B. Perry spoke at Newbury, at the exhibition, 

 September 27, 1832. He approved of the society, as having a 

 tendency to remove some of the hindrances to agricultural im- 

 provement — such as an " unsettled state of mind," an " impres- 

 sion that farming is not a genteel occupation," and an idea tliat 

 " learning is of little advantage in tlie business of a farmer's 

 life." 



Dr. Jeremiah Spofford was the speaker at New Rowley (now 

 Georgetown,) September 26, 1833. He said, with truth and 

 emphasis, " To no class of men does this necessity of constant 

 industry apply more forcibly than to the farmer. He turns his 

 own wheel of fortune more emphatically than almost any otlier 

 class ; those great and sudden turns of fortune which sometimes 

 raise or depress others, lie quite out of his track. With firm 

 foothold he climbs the ascent to wealth, or with loosened ener- 

 gies he slides down the gradual descent to poverty." 



Hon. Ebenezer Moseley ascended the rostrum at New Row- 

 ley, September 25, 1834. He urged agricultural education; 

 spoke of the advantages of Dummer Academy as an agricultural 

 school ; dwelt upon the proper time to cut timber, and recom- 

 mended the cultivation of fruit. 



Hon. Daniel P. King delivered the annual address at Danvers, 

 September 30, 1835. He put forth the idea that " the great 

 object of the farmer is to obtain the most valuable products 

 witli the least possible labor, and at the same time to keep his 

 farm in a state of progressive improvement ; " and he recom- 

 mended "that a farmer should use his eyes as well as his 

 hands." 



