THE 



THIRTIETH A^N^UAL REPORT 



OF TUB 



SECRETARY 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



To the Senate and House of Brpresentatives of the Commonwcallh of 



Massachusetts. 



The Thirtieth Annual Report of the Board of Agriculture 

 is respectfully submitted. The year under review has not 

 been one of prosperity to the farmers of the Commonwealth. 

 While agriculture has been very productive over the greater 

 part of the country, and the Western crops of cereals have 

 been enormous, we have suffered from meteorological condi- 

 tions that have affected every branch of our husbandry un- 

 favorably. 



A stormy winter, with cold continuing far into the spring, 

 delayed planting until late ; or, where early work was 

 attempted, replanting was necessary. A cold, wet June, 

 though bad for tillage, made an excellent crop of grass. The 

 rains ceased in June, followed by hot weather in which a 

 great crop of hay was well harvested ; from this time a drouth 

 followed, equal in severity to any on record ; fields, gardens 

 and pastures were dried up, the crops of potatoes and roots 

 were scant though good in quality, aftermath was an entire 

 failure, and corn over a wide area was cut and fed green to 

 the cattle to help out the dried pastures. The milk pro- 

 ducers had great diflficulty in keeping up their supply. 



