18 MR. fay's address. 



occasionally pick out a hill of his corn or rob his cherry trees of a 

 portion of their fruit. 



Gentlemen : In the remarks which have been addressed to you, 

 I have confined myself to the consideration of a few of the points 

 which seemed to me to be most essential to our agricultural 

 progress and improvement. In doing this, I am aware that I have 

 only been repeating what has been written and said so often, and 

 under so many forms, that I cannot suppose any of my hearers to 

 be ignorant of their importance. This thought has almost dis- 

 couraged me, because if the teachings of every day are disregarded, 

 why repeat them here where they are presented with less force, 

 perhaps, and certainly with no more authority than they have come 

 to you before. We have more abundant sources of agricultural 

 knowledge than any people under the sun, but we do not avail 

 ourselves of them in practice as we ought. We lack courage and 

 confidence more than skill or intelligence. We go on toiling over 

 our impoverished acres, with no heart to restore them to fertility. 

 We fear to embark in a venture, the profitable result of which can 

 be made to appear as clear as noon-day, while all around us enter- 

 prises of every other description are being carried on with a degree 

 of energy and skill that makes us the wonder of the age. It is idle 

 to speculate here upon the reason for this, for it would not advance 

 the ends we have in view. What we need is a determination on 

 our part, one and all, to increase the products of our farms, and the 

 first great step in the work of improvement Avill be taken. The 

 means of doing this have been briefly stated to you. Labor-saving 

 machinery, the extended cultivation of roots, high manuring, acces- 

 sible markets ; these can restore to New England her agricultural 

 prosperity, and nothing else can or will do so. Let us bear in mind 

 that just so much as we advance the science and practice of agri- 

 culture, do we give dignity and honor to the pursuit. It has been 

 from our supineness and neglect, that the occupation of a farmer 

 has ceased to hold in this state the high position it maintains 

 elsewhere, and we are obliged to leave our homes to learn how 

 honorable and how highly esteemed is the position of intelligent 

 cultivators of the soil. 



I cannot conclude without a word to that part of my audience, 

 who, although they are not farmers, constitute a leading clement in 

 a farmer's hai)}>incss and prosperity. I refer to you, the wives antJ 



