FARMS. 55 



FA EMS. 



ESSEX. 



Report of the Committee on Farms. 



No entries of farms for premiums, have been made during 

 the past year, notwithstanding tlie liberal reward offered by the 

 society. Perhaps it ought hardly to be expected that any pecu- 

 niary consideration within the means of our association, would 

 afford a sufficient remuneration for the trouble and time neces- 

 sary to prepare a suitable account of the business of any one 

 farm in our county, for the period of twelve months. The 

 manual labor of agriculture is exhausting. The various duties 

 of the active and industrious farmer are intricate and absorbing. 

 The ever changing variety in the- results of agricultural opera- 

 tions from year to year ; the surprises which occur, under the 

 hidden influences of nature, an abundant crop here, a scanty 

 one there, produced by causes beyond man's reach — the disap- 

 pointments which often follow well-directed industry, the acci- 

 dents of weatlier, the uncertainties of all animal and vegetable 

 productions — all combine, we are aware, to discourage the 

 faithful farmer in his attempts to record the efforts and designs, 

 and results of the year. We can perhaps hardly expect to 

 induce our farmers to make such a record, by any pecuniary 

 reward, which we can offer. 



But then there are other motives which should not be forgot- 

 ten. The first necessity in every successful operation, is a 

 systematic arrangement of our affairs. It is so in trade, in manu- 

 factures, in commerce; and from this law agriculture is not 

 exempt. There is a great deal of tradition, it is true, in farming. 

 The son remembers his father's mode of tilling the earth, and 

 has inherited perhaps his father's skill in the care of animals, 

 and he may be a good farmer. But when he would go beyond 

 this, he must turn to the recorded operations of others ; and 

 when he would know exactly how he is progressing himself, he 

 must find in his own diary and account books, the history of 



