I'UBLrSlICD BY JOSEPH BRKCK & CO., NO. 52, NORTH MARKET STltEET, (Agricultural Wabkhouse.)— T. G. FESSKNDEN, EDITOR. 



vol,. XV. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 6, 1837. 



Nt». 39. 



^i-oiais^^iL^^iii^is-a 



(For llie New England Farmer.) 

 AGRICIII,TURAI, SURVEY. 



Mr Ff.ssf-Nde.n : — Yon published in your pa- 

 per a few weolts since, a Reiiort of tlie Coniniit- 

 tee on Agriculture in the Massachusetts House of 

 Representatives, on the subject of an Agricultural 

 Survey, with a Resolve providing for the same. 

 That Resol'/o passed its regular stiiges in tlie 

 House, by a very large majority. It is a measure 

 which promises much good to the agricultural 

 portion of the community, and if prosecuted, will 

 furnish a rich fund of valuable inforuiation for all 

 classes. In the Senate, Mr Turner of Scituate, 

 has proposed the accompanying amendment. 



Sfnatf., March 1837. 

 Mr Turner moves to strike out all of the Resolve 

 "providing for an Agricultural Survey of the 

 Slate," after the word '^ Resolved " where it 

 first occurs, and to insert as follows, to wit: 



Tint the several county agricultural societies 

 in this Comuionwcakh shall, by their officers, make 

 report to tlu secretary of state of this Common- 

 wealth, on subjects connected with the agricultu- 



'' condition of the State, the knowledge of which 

 !.^.\. a tcdiviiij to pro-iiOtn i<3 welfare, to 

 develop its resources, and to stimulate its ioiprove- 

 tnent, and including answers to the following que- 

 ries, as applicable to their several counties, viz.: 



What is the nature and cajiacity of the^soil ? 



What are the crops and methods of cultivation ? 



What is the average product per acre .' 



What is the cost of cultivation ? 



What is the price of labor and boan! ? 



What kinds of ploughs and other implements 

 of husbandry are used ? 



What are the varieties of live stock and method 

 of feeding ? 



What are the manures used and attainable, 

 mode of application and general effect? 



What are the comparative ))rofits of different 

 branches of husbandry ? 



What are the general improvements of which 

 they are susceptible ? 



What new and valuable agricultural machines 

 are used ? 



What is done in cultivating the mulberry and 

 tlie mauufacturc of silk ? 



What is the rptantity of wool grown, and is 

 there any improvement in flocks of sheep ? 



What is the condition of forest trees, timber 

 trees and woodland ? 



What is the condition of horticulture ? 



What is the size, approved construction and 

 materials of farm buildings.' 



Resolved, That any agricultural society which 

 Bliall refuse or neglect to tnake such report, on or 

 before the first day of December next, shall not 

 be entitled to any allowance from the treasu;y of 

 the Commonwealth, as by the first section of the 



fortysecond chapter of the Revised Statutes is pro- 

 vided. 



Resolved, That the secretary shall furnish said 

 societies with bhink forms of reports, and shall 

 cause said reports to be printed and distributed to 

 the members of the Legislature, at the commence- 

 ment of the session next after he shall receive the 

 same. 



The amendment proposed would wholly defeat 

 the piTiject, as it would seem, for the subjoined 

 reasons among others. 



The survey ])rojeeted is designed to endirace a 

 thorough and exact e.xamination of everything con- 

 nected with the agricultural condition of the com- 

 monwealth, its actual products, .its improvements, 

 and its capacities of production ; the examination 

 and analysis of its soils, its manures known or at- 

 tainable with the modes and history of their ap- 

 plication ; and the crops raised or capable of being 

 cultivated with advantage ; and full accounts, if 

 required, of the best modes of cultivalion. 



Take for example, the cultivation of beets for 

 sugar ; and the cultivation of the mulberry for 

 silk. It is expelled that the surveyor will not 

 only nvail himself of an exact knowledge of tin; 

 condition and progress of these great matters of 

 agriculture among ourselves ; but of all the infor- 

 mation which lie can obtain from foreign sources, 

 so that the survi-y may furnish the fullest, latest 

 and best directions in rcgnril to the whole subject ; 

 which can be obtained, presented in a condensed 

 and accessible form. Information may thus be 

 obtained, which may be of importance to the citi- 

 zens of the Commonwealth, and to the farmers in 

 particular, and ten times the value of the cost of 

 the survey. These remarks apply with equal per- 

 tinency to other articles of cultivation and pro- 

 duct ; to mailder, tobacco, broom-corn, hemp, tea- 

 zles, wood, and even the most familiar produc- 

 tions, wheat, corn, rye and barley. 



It is proposed that the survey should be most 

 exact and authentic. This can only be accom- 

 plished by stiict, personal examination; and it 

 would be desirable that the surveyor should visit 

 every town and every principal farm, or the princi- 

 pal farms in every town, and not once only, but in 

 almost all cases twice, that he may see the condi- 

 tion of the lands or the cro[i3 in difi'ercnt stages. 



The accomplishment of such a survey as this, 

 would require scienlific skill, and much practical 

 and experimental knowledge ; habits of most care- 

 ful observation ; and a great devotion of time and 

 talent ; as well as much enthusiasm in the oh- 

 ject. 



One great purpose of the survey, is to make a 

 comparative statement of the condition of agricid- 

 ture in different parts of the Commonwealth. — 

 This can only be well and successfully done, by a 

 single individual, who, from personal inspection, 

 shall be enabled to bring them under review. 



The business being made the special object of 

 one individual, he will be likely to qualify himself 

 in the best manner for its execution, llis honor 



and character will be ess-ntially concerned in its 

 faithful and skilful performance ; and he will be 

 made directly responsible to the Executive, for the 

 discharge of his duty. If the business be divided 

 among several individuals, though in many res- 

 pects, equally well qualified as the person who 

 may be selected, yet the motives to exteml their 

 qualifications will be small in comparison ; and 

 having no direct accountablenes.s, its performance 

 cannot be enforced. Indeed the fact of making a 

 survey through all parts of the Coinmonweallh, 

 will in itself give qualifications for its intelligent 

 and skilful execution, wliich can possibly be ac- 

 quired in no other way. 



The survey in any case cannot be made with- 

 out much iiersonal examinatioit, if it is intended 

 to be exact and authentic. The employment of 

 as manv surveyors in the difi'erent counties, tis the 

 amendment would seem to propo.se, would not bo 

 likely to lessen the ex|)ense of the survey to the 

 Commonweallh, unless their services should be 

 gratuitous, which is scarcely to be expected. If 

 their services should be gratuitous, they will of 

 course be rendered, as to time and completeness, 

 according to the convenience and pleasure of those 

 who make them. 



As fir as it respects the information and servi- 

 ces of individuals in any (lart of ibe State, distin- 

 guished for their agricultural skill or knowledge, 

 the surveyor would avaii hmiself of all llie mtor- 

 mation which they would give him. In w.'.er to- 

 complete his survey seasonably and thoifjughly,. 

 he must, and no doubt at considerable ex pensxx to. 

 himself, avail hi:nself of the aid and cc .operation; 

 of others, in obtaining information. jt is expec- 

 ted, however, and this will be one great aiis^jtinage 

 of the survey, that all the information vv,'iJii;h h^" 

 gives to the government, however obtai sued,, wift ' 

 be verifieH in the most exact macsner. 



Besides personal inspection, it is exj>ected like- 

 wise, that lie will ojieii an extensive correspoo- 

 <lenee with gentlemen in diflerent parts of ihe- 

 C'oumionwealth, aiid of the neigliboi'.'njf States, in 

 ohiaining ail th.; information which can be ac- 

 quired, and which is likely to have a favorable 

 bearing on the agricultural welfare of the State. 

 This can harilly be managed, indeed can scarce- 

 ly be expected to be ilone at all, but by some sin- 

 gle, Qoiitral, responsible head. 



'i'he ji;ollection of valuable seeds, models of 

 farm implements, and plans of improved farm 

 buildings, tf^'gothcr with samples of wool, &c., can 

 scarcely be expected to he attended to, bul by some 

 single indiviilual, whose duty it shall he njade by 

 law. 



It is in the last |)lacc, an historical fact, having 

 an iin))ortaiit bearing on this case, that some years 

 since, the Massachusetts Society for I'romoting 

 Agriculture, issued an extended circular, drawn 

 up with great care and skill, and proposing ma- 

 ny important agricultural inquiries, to which di- 

 rect and full answers were Tespectfully iolicited. 

 These inquiries were sent to the principal far- 

 mers in the Commonwealth, and to every agricul- 



