SECRETARY'S REPORT. 113 



us to form from a wild European crab, the splendid Baldwin, 

 Greening, Nonesuch and Pippin ; from a vile choke pear, the 

 Seckel, the Bartlctt, the Duchesse, and all that delicious class ; 

 from a miserable Persian plum, the luscious Peach, Apricot, 

 and Nectarine. Animal physiology has taught us how from 

 the roving bison we may breed perfection in our Short-horns, 

 Herefords, Durhams, and Ayrshires ; from the wild argali 

 bounding from rock to rock, we have wrought out the Leices- 

 ter, the Cotswold, and the matchless Downs ; while the wild 

 boar of the woods is modified into the Mackay, the Suffolk, and 

 the Chester County. 



Agricultural chemistry intimately connected with all the 

 others, shows us the requirements and the deficiencies of our 

 soils, how our seed should best be sown, harvested and pre- 

 pared for the most economical use of ourselves and our ani- 

 mals ; it teaches us the composition and nature of our grains 

 and roots, and shows us how they minister to the different 

 organisms of animal life, and which is best adapted to build up 

 and to strengthen each different portion of the system. 



The question is even now often mooted whether farming is 

 profitable. It may or may not be according as it is managed 

 with skill or otherwise. And the affirmative answer to that 

 question will very much depend on the attention paid by each 

 farmer to the subjects here presented ; and his skill in avoiding 

 and preventing them will largely measure his success. To 

 farm well, one must farm intelligently, and how few they are 

 who are thoroughly good farmers. The difficulties in the way 

 of farming well are not few nor small ; difference in climate, 

 even in New England, locality, soil and subsoil, skill enough 

 to select one from the various breeds of cattle for the dairy, or 

 the shambles ; how to raise them, and how best to fatten them ; 

 whether to keep sheep or cattle, horses or hogs ; how to pre- 

 pare compost, and use manure ; a judicious selection of the 

 crops most profitable in each locality, and a proper rotation of 

 crops ; skill in fitting the ground, getting in the seeds, and 

 cultivating and harvesting the crops ; these are all more or less 

 obstacles to be overcome by study and experience. Success or 

 failure may result from the exclusion or permission of the 

 " wastes " of the farm. 



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