328 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



191,224 acres of land, valued at $812,773, an average 

 of $4.25 per acre. 



These figures also include all the land in the several 

 classes considered.. It is well known to all who are at all 

 familiar with the condition in the four western counties that 

 there are thousands of acres recently cut over that can be 

 bought for $3 per acre, or even less. 



The figures given above have been taken from the census, 

 and, lest it may be thought that the values given are too 

 low, I will refer to prices at which farms are offered by their 

 owners in the " Catalogue of Farms in Massachusetts for 

 sale at a low price," recently issued by the secretary of the 

 Board of Agriculture. In that pamphlet are advertised 54 

 farms, containing 9,298 acres, for between $7 and $8 per 

 acre ; 5 farms, containing 875 acres, for between $6 and $7 

 per acre; 7 farms, containing 1,250 acres, for between $5 

 and $6 per acre; 6 farms, containing 1,940 acres, for be- 

 tween $4 and $5 per acre; 7 farms, containing 1,350 acres, 

 for between $3 and $4 per acre ; and 5 farms, containing 

 1,173 acres, for $3 or less per acre. Most of these farms 

 have buildings, fences, orchards and other improvements. 



Since writing the above I have learned that a farm of 139 

 acres, formerly among the best in one of our most thriving 

 hill towns, was during the past year sold for $100. It was 

 situated in a remote neighborhood ; the buildings had disap- 

 peared, but all the cleared land was well fenced and used as 

 a pasture, said to be a good pasture. The woodland was 

 covered with a vigorous growth of various ages. The 

 Oliver Smith Charities had held a mortgage of several hun- 

 dred dollars on the property for several years, and had been 

 obliged to foreclose. After long-continued effort to obtain 

 a better price, the agent in charge accepted the offer of $100 

 for the property, as the best he could get for it. 



Several of the States of the Union have acquired lands 

 for forestry experiment, and the matter is being generally 

 urged by those interested in the perpetuation of the forests 

 of the country. It was not the purpose of this paper to 

 urge a definite plan, but to show the opportunity for and 

 feasibility of State action. I have shown that there is an 



