300 



AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS 



From the above table it is seen that the assessors, who may safely be 

 considered as the most trustworthy authority, return 33,657 more tons of 

 hay, 23,033 more horses, 26,507 more cows, 2,392 more sheep, and 

 17,602 less swine, than the marshals. It should, however, be stated, 

 rather as a serious defect in the census blanks, than as a fault of the 

 marshals, that there appears to be no appropriate scliedules for the 

 return of horses, cows, &c., owned by persons other than farmers, and 

 consequently but few, or none, such are returned. Thus we find no 

 horses returned by the marshals for Boston, while the assessors for the 

 same year return 5,111. This alone makes a difference in the valuation 

 of that city, of $766,650 ; or a difference in the valuation of the State, of 

 $1,865,673 in one item ! Add the difference in the returns of cows, 

 swine and hay, and it increases the valuation of the State, $3,036,844. 

 It is to be hoped that before another decennial census shall be undertaken, 

 some means may be adopted by which these, and many other glaring 

 defects, may be remedied. 



The following table exhibits, in round numbers, the average number 

 of acres per farm, (both of improved and unimproved land.) and also the 

 average value of farms, farm implements and machinery, and live stock, 

 in each county in the State : — 



