204 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MARCH 4, J 8*0. 



conceives, tli;it the objocts for which these boun- 

 ties are bestowed would be more effectually accom- 

 plished by a greater exactness and fulness in these 

 leturns. 



It is known, likewise, that -complainta are fre- 

 quently made against the manner in which these 

 prenutmi3 are awarded and cattle shows conducted. 

 Complaints are often made in respect to the objects 

 selected for preuiiurn and the conditions under 

 which the competition is regulated. Now whether 

 thaee complaints be well or ill-founded, your me- 

 morialist will give no farther opinion than that in 

 many cases improvements might be made, which 

 would take away all just ^froiind of complaint. The 

 duty of managing and awarding these premiums is 

 not always a desirable office ; and it would relieve 

 those on whom this duty devolves from an unwel- 

 come responsibility and conduce to the objects of 

 the bounty, if the subjects of premium, the condi 

 tions and rules of competition, and the mode of 

 awarding them, could be brought directly unuer a 

 central board of control. 



It seems, in the next place, to yo'ur memorialist, 

 e.xceedingly important that some mode should be 

 adopted to ascertain, with as much exactness aa the 

 nature of the case admits, the actual products of 

 agriculture within the State. True political econo 

 my differs not at all, except in the extent of itsap 

 plication, from true household, private, or domestic 

 economy. The wise merchant or farmc .vitl seek 

 to possess himself in the most exact manner, of the 

 knowledge of his condition, his stock in trade, his 

 income, his expenditures, his gains, his losses, and 

 the actual results of his business. A State or po- 

 litical community should in like manner become 

 ac(|uainted with its actual condition, and especially 

 with all the applications and results of its, industry ; 

 for this is indeed the great source of its wealth, the 

 right arm of its power, the only true foundation of 

 its independence. It should become acquainted 

 with its own capacities and powers ; and learn how 

 far they are called out, how they are applied, how 

 they may be best applied, and to what extent she 

 may rely upon them ; and especially how far ;he 

 may rely upon them for the supply of her necessa- 

 ry wants, and to what extent and in what way they 

 may be made the foundation of social wealth and 

 independence. 



Every part of the civilized world seems to have 

 ■waked up to the importance and value of statistical 

 information ; and no knowledge is likely to lead to 

 more useful practical results. The smaller the 

 community, the more directly practical and efficient 

 is such knowledge. The statistical returns of the 

 mechanical and manufacturing industry of the Com- 

 monwealth, obtained and published three years 

 since by direction of the government, are univer- 

 sally admitti'd to be one of the most valuable docu- 

 ments ever published by the State or in the State. 

 It has exalted the credit of the Commonwealth in 

 the highest degree at home and abroad ; and given 

 her the command of capital and resources for use 

 and improvement, whicli otherwise she might not 

 have been able to obtain. It has secured to her a 

 rank among her sister States which otherwise, with 

 her limited territory and disdained soil, she could } sh; 

 hardly have maintained. It has inspired in her own 

 citizens an honest pride, a self-respect, a feeling of 

 self-dependence, which naturally grow into an at- 

 tachment to home, and quench the desire of emi- 

 gration. More especially, and above all, it has re- 

 vealed and established, even in the most humble 



and the most sceptical minds, the great truth, that 

 in honest, enlightened, well-directed, persevering, 

 and productive imlustry, there are to be found a 

 means of wealth, an instrument of power, a source 

 of comfort, a security to morals, and a ground of in- 

 ependencp, which the underlaying of her whole 

 territory with mines of gold would not supply. 



What has been done for manufacturing and me- 

 chanicnl industry, your memorialist is anxiou^f 

 should be extended to every other branch of pro- 

 ductive labor, and more esfiecially to agriculture. 

 It will not be dilficult or expensive to accomplish 

 it It may reveal in many respects a mortifying 

 deficiency and a blameable neglect. The knowl- 

 edge of the facts in such case will more than any 

 thing else, conduce to an>endment. It may dis- 

 close to our gratification and surprise, more favora- 

 ble results than we apprehend. Such a case would 

 stimulate ambition, and encourage to greater exer- 

 tion. In any event an accurate ascertainment of 

 our condition and products in this matter would 

 have a powerful and favorable influence upon our 

 agriculture ; and would prove a most important step 

 in the way of improvement. 



It is believed, in the judgment of some highly in- 

 telligent and observing men, that taking the whole 

 territory into view, Massachusetts does not produce 

 half a peck oflndian corn to an acre. If this fact 

 could be ascertained, in an authentic form, it wotild, 

 your memorialist believes, at once awaken the far- 

 mers to the great value of this crop, and the losses 

 suffered by the neglect of its cultivation.- It would 

 at once occur to them that it could not be difficult 

 for Massachusetts to raise at least one bushel of 

 corn to the acre, or as many bushels of corn as she 

 has acres in her territory. To say nothing of the 

 fodder, and the means consequently of increasing 

 her live stock, this would be the actual creation, out 

 of her soil, of four million five hundred thousand 

 bushels oflndian corn. In such case wo may con- 

 sider half the product in grain as the clear profit i^f 

 the crop. What an advantage to our habits, our 

 comfort and our power of usefulness, if then, as 

 clear gain beyond the cost of labor and cultivation, 

 we could produce annually in the State two mil- 

 lion bushels oflndian corn. What mine of gold in 

 any country would be comparable to tliis .' But 

 this is only one article of agricultural produce. 

 The knowledge of other products would be equally 

 and similarly u_seful. 



Your memorialist is further of opinion, that these 

 several objects may be accomplished without any 

 additional appropriation orexpenseto the Common- 

 wealth, beyorMi what it now pays. He asks leave 

 further to state his views of the ways and means by 

 which this may be effected. 



Your memorialist would therefore respectfully 

 suggest, that there be constituted, within this gov- 

 ernment, a Board of Domestic Industry, to consist 

 ot one delegate from each county or congressional 

 district of the Slate, to be joined by the Commit- 

 tees of the Legislature on Agriculture and iVlanu- 

 factures, and the Governor and Lieut. Governor of 

 the Commonwealth, ex oflScio. 



That the delegates and a secretary to the Board, 



all be appointed by the Governor and Council, 

 and shall receive for travel and attendance such 

 rate of compensation as.may be deemed just. 



That the Board shall meet once a year, on the 

 third Wednesday in January, at the State House, 

 in Boston, and their session shall never be exten- 

 ded over ten successive days. 



That it shall be the duty of this Board, annu 

 ly, to examine and report fully to the Legislatu 

 the condition of the agriculture and manufactu: 

 of the Commonwealth; and suggest such measu: 

 as may conduce to the benefit of these great brt 

 ches of industry, and the individuals directly c( 

 cerned in them. 



That every agricultural society in the Cummi 

 wealth shall be required, annually, to make a p 

 feet return of its affairs ; the nun'.ber and names 

 its members, the amount of its own funds, and ( 

 manner in which it uses op applies the money 

 ceived from the State. 



That; the several agricultural societies be alio 

 ed to receive yearly, one half the sum which is n 

 authorized to be paid to them by law; and thatl 

 other half shall be placed at the disposal of' 

 Board of Industry, to be given in the State, in p 

 minms for distinguished improvements, cultivati 

 or inventions. 



As for example, let a premium of one hund 

 dollars be given for the best and most exactly c 

 ducted experiment in growing wheat or other gn 

 requiring that such experiments shall be conduc 

 in the most careful manner, according to prescril 

 conditions, and in a way to ascertain, as far 

 practicable, important, or doubtful, or contes 

 points, in reference to the crop on which the p 

 mium is offered. 



Let a premium of one hundred dollars be gi' 

 for the best an<i most exactly conducted exp( 

 ment in producing silk, conducted with a view 

 prescribed objects, and detailing fully and exac 

 every step in the progress, so that the desired 

 formation may be obtained in the most authei 

 form. 



Let a premium of one hundred dollars be gi' 

 for the best conducted experiment in producing i 

 manufacturing beet sugar, under conditions i 

 with objects above suggested. 



Let one hundred dollars be given for the I 

 experiment in the application of manures, with 

 view to test in the most authentic and conclui 

 manner, the proper use, preparation and applicati 

 and the comparative efBciency and value of di 

 rent manures. 



It being understood in all cases that the ob; 

 of such premiums is, not the rewardi'ng of indivi 

 al enterprise or skill, but the obtaining of pract 

 and decisive information for the general benefi 

 the farmers. 



As far as the means of the board extend, 

 board may use their moneys in rewarding any 

 traordinary agricultural or mechanical inventioi 

 discovery, promising to be of public utility. 



Or they may import from abroad, models 

 drawings of any valuable implement; or aeedi 

 plants which promise to be of extraordinary adv 

 tage, for distribution among the farmers; or t 

 may use their funds at their discretion, for ot 

 purposes directly connected with agricultural 

 provement and the advancement of agriculU 

 knowledge. 



That the Board of Industry determine the til 

 and places of bidding the several Cattle Showi 

 the State; and that in respect to moneys annul 

 granted by the Stale for agricultural premiu 

 competition for these premiums may be open to i 

 citizen of the (,'ommonwealth, whether or not n 

 ding in the particular county where the show 

 held. 



Your memorialist further respectfiilly sugg< 

 that the a.?sessors of every town or city in 



