viii BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



good prices throughout the year, and grain food promises to 

 be somewhat lower this winter than for several years. Mar- 

 ket gardeners had good crops, and received average prices. 

 The apple crop Avas slightly larger than usual in non-bear- 

 ing years, and brought very high prices. Peaches yielded 

 heavily, but prices were very low, reducing anticipated 

 profits materially. Other fruits and berries did well, so 

 that our horticultiu-ists generally had a good year. 

 ■ In the highly specialized condition of agriculture in Massa- 

 chusetts there is one feature of the farmer's e(juipment that 

 is essential to success, — he must be a thoroughly up-to-date 

 business man, as well as a skilful grower of the products of 

 the soil. This lesson has been one of the hardest which our 

 farmers have had to learn, Ijut there are signs that its impor- 

 tance is now being appreciated. The necessity for clean 

 culture, good fertilization and the production of a choice 

 article demonstrated itself, being constantly before the eyes 

 of every tiller of the soil. It has not been so easy for many 

 to see that a crop well grown has only half fulfilled its mis- 

 sion, — that it must be well sold, also, to bring the full 

 measure of success. 



Nature is kind to those who follow her, and even with 

 old-fashioned hit-or-miss methods, the proportion of actual 

 failures is smaller than in most other lines of business ; in 

 fact, there is no other line where business could be carried 

 on year after year without a cash book, without taking ac- 

 count of stock or striking a balance. These processes are 

 just as essential to the best success in the case of the farm 

 factory as in that of any other producing establishment, and 

 it is just here that many of our otherwise l)est farmers fail. 

 Too man}" never know which of their crops or animals are 

 ])rofita])le and which unprofitable, keeping no accounts, and 

 often selling the very animals Avhich should have been re- 

 tained, not knowing their excellence. 



The milk scales and the Babcock tester should be as essen- 

 tial a part of the equipment of every dairy farm as the veiy 

 milk ])ails themselves, and should be used regularly, though 

 not necessarily as often, A\'here poultry is a source of farm 

 revenue, an accurate (ig<>; record should be kept, I would 



