4 , MR. fay's address. 



invergo proportion to its demand and price. We pay double the 

 wages of twenty years since, and wo receive not much more than 

 half as much labor in return, and at the same time the general 

 products of the farm have not materially advanced in value. This 

 state of things must lead to one ^ of two results: we must either 

 supply the place of much of this labor by machinery, or we must 

 give up our farms, allowing them to return to their original waste. 

 We are forced to do that which sharp competition and the desire of 

 gain have accomplished in all other industrial pursuits, by calling to 

 our aid mechanical skill, and applying, wherever it is possible, 

 its labor saving power to the operations of the farm. Yankee 

 farmers should certainly verify, to the fullest extent, the old prov- 

 erb, that " necessity is the mother of invention," for there is no 

 place where the demand upon her prolific powers is more urgent, 

 than upon New England soil. 



It is a melancholy and mortifying truth, however, that we do not 

 take advantage of the labor saving implements in successful opera- 

 tion elsewhere. Other countries, and some of our sister states arc 

 before us in this respect. In Great Britain, where labor is com- 

 paratively abundant and cheap, the increased use of labor-saving 

 machinery within a few years past, has been most remarkable. All 

 the principal operations of the farm, such as planting, hoeing, weed- 

 ing, threshing, hay making and harvesting, are now greatly aided 

 by labor-saving machines. Indeed, it would be a rare sight there 

 to see any kind of seed sown by hand, or its subsequent culture 

 carried on by mere manual labor ; and what is still more to the 

 purpose, the work is much better done now than it could possibly 

 have been under the old methods.* 



In comparison with English and Scotch farming, we are in our 

 infancy in this respect, and we have a vast deal of lost ground to 

 make up, before we shall reach their high standard. It is quite 

 time that our Agricultural Societies should give a strong impulse 

 in this direction. It will not do for us to ait longer with folded 

 hands, and allow ourselves to be outstripped in the race of im- 

 provement, contented to live on under a reputation for skill, energy 

 and intelligence, which we have well nigh lost. Although we have 



*I speak with some confidence upon this point, having resided lately for nearly 

 two years in a rural district in England, and during that time being in constant in- 

 tercourse with practical farmers as well as scientific agriculturalists. 



