104 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTCRE. 



and better stock, that they may, by increase of thought, lessen 

 the wear and tear of muscle, and render farming a remunera- 

 tive and intelligent calling. These men see that we have all 

 been laboring in the dark, and to little purpose, and that the best 

 way to escape from this humiliating condition is to accept infor- 

 mation from any source, well knowing that it does not damage 

 a thought to be expressed in a book, but that it is just as good 

 as if it came from the next neighbor. 



Among tlie various departments of agriculture, I find that 

 dairy farming, when near a market, is generally thought in 

 our county to be more sure to yield a profit than any other. 

 Owing to insufficiency of good pasture, however, it is con- 

 fessed that the business is not carried on without some consid- 

 erable disadvantage. We shall soon learn how to improve our 

 old, worn-out pasture land ; then the dairy farmer will have no 

 serious difficulty to contend with. 



Of the dairies that I have visited, that of Mr. James Cope- 

 land, of West Bridgewater, is the largest and most interesting ; 

 and, by the kindness of the owner, I am able to give a rough 

 outline of the business of the farm. In my conversation with 

 him, he gave me many facts, with, however, but few figures ; 

 for, although he knows well what he gets for his milk, he does 

 not profess to know what it costs him. He sells a great deal of 

 milk, receives for it considerable money, supports his family, 

 has bought a large farm and stocked it well, and all is paid for ; 

 of course the business is profitable. 



The amount of work done on this farm is very considerable. 

 There are two hundred and twenty-five acres under fence ; 

 forty-one acres in English mowing ; thirty in fresh meadow ; 

 fourteen in tillage ; and one hundred and forty in pasture. 

 Ninety tons of hay are commonly made. The present year, 

 two hundred bushels of corn and sixty bushels of wheat were 

 harvested. The rest of the tillage is devoted to various kinds 

 of vegetables ; although Mr. Copeland does not grow any root 

 crop for feed for his cattle. To consume the products of this 

 farm, Mr. Copeland keeps, generally, about twenty-four cows, 

 four horses, several yoke of oxen, and some young stock, making 

 in all some fifty head. In addition to the hay and grain raised 

 on the farm, it is found necessary to purchase feed to the 

 amount of four hundred dollars. As feed for milch cows, Mr. 



