298 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



alluded to. This state census of 1875, universally admitted 

 to be by far the best planned, the most accurate and the most 

 trustworthy of any ever taken either by the State or by the 

 United States, gives the number of farms in Massachusetts as 

 44,549 ! Of this result we know that one thiug is certain. 

 The statement as to the number of farms is absolutely correct, 

 in one respect at least — the number is no less than that given. 

 There may be, and probably are, a few more ; the amount 

 and value of products, if not correct, are the results of the 

 certified statements of the producers themselves; and, from 

 all the collateral evidence at hand, it is believed that the total 

 amount of farm products, as stated in the volume, does not 

 vary very materially from the positive facts, and the amounts of 

 products stated are, of course, less rather than more than the 

 truth. Here we have abundant evidence that the number of 

 farms is nearly, if not quite, 20,000 greater than that given 

 in the United States census of 1870 : — 



The total area of the State is 4,992,000 acres. 



Included in farms, .... 3,402,368 acres. 



in lakes and ponds, . . 93,000 " 



in rivers, .... 200,000 " 



in cities and villages, city 

 and town lots, cemeter- 

 ies, parish and associa- 

 tion lands, etc., . . 550,000 " 



in 1,837 miles of railroad, in- 

 cluding stations, 



in 20,000 miles of highways, 



in detached and non-resident 

 lands, .... 



in reservoirs, 



Total, 



There is still, it will be seen, a very considerable area not 

 very clearly accounted for. A recapitulation of the State by 

 counties shows that while the total domestic products reached 

 $7,078,004, as stated, the purely agricultural products reached 

 $34,443,795; total domestic and agricultural product of the 

 farms of Massachusetts for the year ending May 1, 1875, 

 $41,521,799. These values are currency; in gold they are, 



