SECRETARY'S REPORT. 123 



law, $8,999 were paid in bounties, and $4,277 the third year. 

 The law expired on the 3d of March, 1841. The experiment, 

 as this result proves, was a failure. And although each claimant 

 for the bounty was obliged to make a minute statement of his 

 process of culture, no new llglit was obtained of practical 

 importance. There was much complaint of injury to the crop 

 by drought, grain insect, smut, &c., and but little enterprise 

 and perseverance shown in continuing its cultivation. As a 

 consequence, from 1838 to 1845, the crop fell off forty thousand 

 bushels, and its general cultivation soon after ceased. 



From this glance at the history of wheat culture in our State, 

 notwithstanding the many discouraging aspects of the case, it 

 is evident, first, that a large share of our soil, when uninjured 

 by cropping and exhausting cultivation, is capable of bearing 

 highly remunerative crops of this grain. Second, that the 

 enemies of the plant are no more numerous or destructive here 

 than elsewhere. Third, that our climate is not unsuitable. It 

 has not changed perceptibly in the last two hundred years, and 

 is nearly identical with that of wheat-growing sections. In 

 further proof of this position, it may be adduced that it is the 

 universal testimony of the present and past generations of 

 farmers, that wheat will grow finely on all new lands not 

 subject to inundations and great structural changes by frost. 

 Also, that there have always been farmers in nearly every part 

 of the State who have judiciously pursued its cultivation with 

 unvarying success. 



In 1838, a farmer in Essex County says : " I have raised 

 wheat on my farm every year since 1812, and with uniform 

 good success. Have always sown spring wheat, and on land in 

 good condition." The same statements are made by farmers of 

 that time, in Middlesex, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin 

 Counties. It is true, that wheat is not one of the hardier 

 kind of plants. It is badly injured by drougiit, by the early 

 and later frost. Insects prey on it, and disease destroys it. 

 Like the rest of the vegetable kingdom, it lias enemies to be 

 guarded against, and laws of life and groAvth to be obeyed, or 

 it ceases to flourish. These facts sometimes caused the loss of a 

 crop and had their influence, but in our opinion the great 

 controlling reason why wheat was so little cultivated here 

 during the latter part of the last century, and the first half of 



