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BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Some of the more important tables are presented in the 

 Appendix to the second part of this Report, to which reference 

 is respectfully made. I can do little more in this connection 

 than to call attention to a few of the leading features of the 

 census, and to suggest that the official returns are worthy of 

 careful study on the part of all who wish to become familiar 

 with the present condition of our agriculture. 



Under the head of farm property, the following table is 

 given, showing the number of farms, their acreage, average 

 acreage, total value and average value, by counties : — 



Included among the farms of the State are the market-gar- 

 dens, the total acreage of which is 3,989 ; total value, $1,147- 

 200 ; average value per acre, $288 — the latter rising as high 

 as $1,101 in the county of Suffolk. Of the whole number of 

 farms in the State, only 1,054 are carried on by parties w 7 ho 

 hire, while 43,495 are carried on by the owners. On the 

 44,549 farms of Massachusetts there are 43,620 dwelliug- 

 houses and 46,848 barns. The whole number of farms is 

 1,549 less than in 1865, when it was 47,014. This is 

 accounted for by aggregation and the growth of cities 

 encroaching upon the suburbs. 



The land of the farms for 1865 and 1875 is divided into 

 four classes, as follows : — 



