ened policy, has espoused the cause of education, and by wise legisla 

 has rendered her system of Common Schools so perfect, as not only to c 

 mand the respect and admiration of her sister States, but of the whole 

 ilized world ; thus furnishing her sons, wherever her name is known, \ 

 a ready passport to the most cordial civilities and amenities of life. W 

 a glorious spectacle is her system of education, with her four thous 

 school houses scattered all over the State, and studding her soil with gi 

 more precious than mines of gold . To what an elevated position has 

 Commonwealth attained by the blessings conferred on her sons through 

 life-giving and healthful influences which flow from these fountains 

 knowledge. 



We make no objections to what she has done for educational and ch 

 table institutions, and internal improvement ; but why is it that she 

 made no provision for the professional education of the farmer ? 



Agriculture should especially receive the encouragement of Governm< 

 because it embraces more than three-fourths of our population, beca 

 from it is derived a very large proportion of its revenue, and because 1 

 large class, who are engaged in it, are, to a great extent, the conservai 

 of the public good in times of danger and peril. Agriculture is the pro 

 nent pursuit. It employs more capital and labor than all other trades 

 professions, and in proportion as it prospers will the welfare of the c< 

 munity advance. But how has agriculture progressed with other calli 

 in Massachusetts? 



Facts warrant the assertion that there is occasion for great improvem* 

 This is apparent from the rapid increase of population and the comparal 

 decrease of agricultural products in this State. By the Report of the Vz 

 ation Committee, it appears that although since 1840 there have been ad< 

 to the area under improvement in Massachusetts 342,000 acres of la 

 which at that time were classed as " unimproved," or " unimprovable,' 

 and although the tillage lands have been increased sixteen per cent, 

 the same time, yet the grain crops have increased only ten per cent., show 

 a relative depreciation of six per cent. ; and although during the sa 

 period the upland and other mowing lands have increased nearly fifteen 

 cent., yet the hay crops have been increased only about three per cei 

 showing a relative depreciation of twelve per cent. 



In 1840, the population of Massachusetts was 737,700, requiring at 

 bushels per head, 4,426,200 bushels of bread stuff's for their subsisten 

 Of this, the soil produced 3,705,261 bushels, leaving 700,000 bushels to 

 supplied by foreign production. But in 1850, the population of the Co 

 monwealth is one million, an increase of thirty-three and two-thirds j 

 cent., requiring six millions of bushels of bread stuffs for consumption, a 

 of which she raises but about three millions, leaving three millions of bush 

 to be supplied by foreign production, showing an absolute decrease in 1 

 cereal grains of more than 600,000 bushels ; and should the inhabita 

 of this Commonwealth increase in the same ratio for the next, as for 1 

 last ten years, and without a corresponding increase of the grain crops, 



