28 



We have depended upon the judgment of the assessors 

 of the several towns to decide as to what farms shall be 

 classed as abandoned or partially abandoned. No doubt 

 there has been considerable variation in the standard adopted 

 in different towns. In some towns farms have been reported, 

 that should not have been, while in others some have been 

 omitted that properly belong in the list. As it will be some 

 weeks before the catalogue can be issued there will be time 

 for amendment of the list. It is the earnest desire of the 

 Board of Agriculture that this work may be full and com- 

 plete, and that every part of the State may be fairly treated. 

 To this end correspondence is invited from interested indi- 

 viduals throughout the State. The attention of such individ- 

 uals is called to the language of the circular addressed to 

 the assessors and printed on pages 24 and 25. 



When the replies to the second circular are received it is 

 proposed to issue a preliminary catalogue, which we hope to 

 do during the autumn. Many requests for such a catalogue 

 have already been received, and among them are requests 

 from parties in the States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 

 Khode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn- 

 sylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 

 Michigan, Kansas, Nebraska, California, Alabama, Texas, 

 Washington, D. C, and one from Montreal, Canada. 



