eeived the attention which it might justly claim. Its 

 progress had not kept pace with the advances made 

 in the mechanic arts and in commercial enterprise. 

 It was not justly appreciated among us. The soil of 

 Massachusetts had been too much disdained and its 

 climate pronounced unfavorable to agriculture. We 

 were, in a large measure, and to far too great a 

 degree, dependent upon other places and countries 

 for a supply of the substantial products of the earth ; 

 and the first necessaries of life. We did not raise 

 our own bread or potatoes ; and we imported largely 

 of the necessary supplies for man and beast. 



This was not as it should be. There was nothing 

 in the soil or climate of Massachusetts inconsistent 

 with a highly improved and profitable agriculture. 

 It was his confident belief that Massachusetts was 

 fully capable of producing her own bread ; and in 

 this respect, what could be done ought to be done. 

 Her power was the only limit of her duty. In the 

 good morals and good habits of her people, in their 

 industry; temperance, frugality, and general intelli- 

 gence, there were all the elements of improvement ; 

 and the best foundation for an intelligent, skilful, and 

 consequently productive agriculture. 



In repeated instances her crops had been remark- 

 able. There had been raised seven hundred bush- 

 els of potatoes upon an acre, more than nine hundred 

 bushels of ruta baga, more than seventeen hundred 

 bushels of carrots, more than six hundred bushels of 

 onions, more than four tons of hay, forty bushels of 

 rye, fifty bushels of barley, fifty bushels of wheat, one 

 hundred bushels of oats, and more than one hun- 



