SECRETARY'S REPORT. 9 



It will be perceived, therefore, that the capacity of the farm, 

 in this respect, has been considerably increased, though, no 

 doubt, true economy would dictate the purchase of more land, 

 for the purpose of keeping a larger number of cows than the 

 farm will even now maintain. This was a prominent object 

 which the Board had in view, in asking an appropriation for 

 the purchase of land in 1855, under the impression that, though 

 the time would come when the present extent of land would 

 be sufficient to furnish full supplies of milk, it was for the 

 interest of the State to increase these supplies at once, as 

 being the cheapest and healthiest food for the inmates of the 

 institution. 



The change has not been less marked in the quantity of beef 

 and pork supplied from the farm. The quantity of beef and 

 pork furnished was as follows : In 



1849, 

 1850, 

 1851, 

 1852, 

 1853, 



20,423 lbs. 15,154 lbs. 



The quantities of beef and pork produced by the farm during 

 the five years of the occupancy of the Board, were as follows : 



1854, 

 1855, 

 1856, 



1857, 

 1858, 



From this it appears, that during the five years past the farm 

 has produced 15,486-| lbs. of beef and 23,039 lbs. of pork more 

 than it did during tlie five years, from 1849 to 1853 inclusive, 

 showing a very largely increased capacity in this respect also. 



And so the yield of ordinary farm produce might and ought 

 to be taken into account, in arriving at a conclusion as to what 

 the Board has accomplished during the five years just past. 

 The yield of some of these crops was as follows : — 

 2* 



