HAMPDEN AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 177 



the unfavorable weather of the fore part of the week, and as su- 

 perior, in many respects, to the exhibitions of previous years. 

 He cahed in question the correctness of the popular notion, that 

 agriculture is in its infancy, and doubted whether science would 

 ever be able to reveal many of the secrets, or teach many of 

 the curious and useful lessons which have been predicted. 

 While science has been of great service to the cause of agricul- 

 ture, and is destined to be of great service hereafter, the farmer 

 must rely more on his powers of observation and discrimination, 

 than on the theories derived from books. 



He offered three practical suggestions for the consideration of 

 the farmers of Hampden County : — 



1. That they should change the Merino, or half breed Merino 

 sheep, for some breed that would make a better quality of meat. 



2. That more attention should be given to the culture of fruit. 

 Peaches will, perhaps, in two or three years, be produced in such 

 quantities, that the supply will equal the demand, but no fears 

 of this kind can be entertained in regard to other kinds of fruit. 

 On the mountains, the idea has become prevalent, that the apple 

 cannot be produced there to advantage, but this is a mistake. 



3. More ground should be given up for woodland. A regard 

 for the beauty of our scenery, and to utility, demands that this 

 should be done. Much of our pasture and plain land might, as 

 well as not, be appropriated to the raising of wood. From the 

 ground that was left, after appropriating all that is proper for 

 this purpose, our farmers would raise more than they now raise 

 from the whole, and, in twelve or fifteen years, the land thus ap- 

 propriated would be well stocked with wood. 



Mr. Mills congratulated the farmers of Hampden, on the pros- 

 pect before them. The growth of population in Springfield, and 

 at the " New City," would be so rapid for years to come, that 

 our farmers could find a good market for all they could produce, 

 and their farms would never be worth less than they are now. 



In conclusion, he compared agricultural with other pursuits, 

 and said that, in his opinion, the farmer's life afforded more 

 means of enjoyment, and was more free from care and anxiety, 

 than any other avocation or pursuit. 

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