MASSACHUSETTS. 



195 



Merrimack at this place ; but a more expeditious communication with the capital is afforded by 

 a railroad between Lowell and Boston. 



Fall River, formerly Troy, on Taunton river, is another town which owes its sudden rise to 

 manufactures. It stands at the mouth of Fall River, which affords a great and durable water 

 power, and there are here 10 large cotton mills, woolen factories, iron founderies, cotton print- 

 works, &c. Ship-building and the whale-fishery also employ some of the capital and labor of 

 the inhabitants. Population, 6,500. The harbor is safe, deep, and easy of access, and coast- 

 ing vessels go up to Taunton, also a flourishing manufacturing town, with 7,800 inhabitants. 

 Taunton contains 8 cotton mills, several iron founderies and nail factories, cotton print-works, 

 plated-ware factory, &c., and is connected with Boston by a railroad. 



6. Jlgriculture. Massachusetts is the most highly cultivated Slate in the Union, although 

 Connecticut and the eastern part of Pennsylvania approach very near it in this respect. The 

 greatest attention is paid to farming as a science ; and the exertions of the various agricultural 

 societies in collecting and disseminating information, and offering encouragements in the shape 

 of premiums, have had the best effect in promoting skilful and thrifty husbandry among the 

 farmers. The State government has appropriated considerable sums in aid of these efforts. 

 The farms consist generally of 100 to 200 acres, and are almost universally the property of the 

 cultivators. Cattle-shows and exhibitions of various productions of the soil, and specimens 

 of manufactures, with distributions of prizes, take place every year in different parts of the 

 State. Men of talents, wealth, and enterprise have distinguished themselves by their exertions 

 for the improvement of husbandry in every form. The best breeds of foreign cattle have been 

 introduced, and every disposition prevails to favor and promote this essential branch of national 

 industry. 



7. Commerce. The most important branches of productive industry in IMassachusetts, are 

 the fisheries, navigation, commerce, and manufactures. The shipping belonging to this State 

 amounts to 470,388 tons, being greater than that of any other State, and about one fourth of 

 the whole shipping of the country ; about 1,500 vessels, of 295,031 tons, enter annually the 

 different ports of the State ; the yearly value of the imports is about 20,000,000 dollars, of 

 exports 10,000,000 dollars. These statements refer only to the foreign trade, the value of the 

 coastwise exports and imports, which is much larger, not being known. Of the exports, about 

 one half are of domestic produce. The coastwise imports are chiefly raw produce and provi- 

 sions, and the exports are all kinds of domestic manufactures, and home and foreign produce 

 reexported. 



8. Manufactures. Massachusetts is more extensively engaged in manufactures than any 

 other State ; in 1831 there were in the Slate 250 cotton-mills, with 339,777 sj)indles and 8,981 

 looms, consuming 24,871,981 pounds of cotton, and producing 79,231,000 yards of cloth ; 

 at present the number of mills exceeds 300. Some wool is grown in the State, particularly in 

 the hill towns of the W"estern part, but much of the raw material consumed in 125 woolen-iriills 

 is brought from other States and foreign countries. Broadcloths, cas?,imeres, flannels, satinets, 

 blankets, carpets, &c., are among the woolen manufactures ; there are also numerous carding- 

 machines to which the wool used in household manufactures is brought to be carded. The silk 

 manufacture has also been successfully introduced, and sewing silk and silk slufls are made in 

 small quantities. The iron manufactures, including nails, machinery of all sorts, agricultural, 

 mechanical, and philosophical instruments, hollow ware, cutlery, fire-arms, cannon, &c. are 

 also very extensive ; there are also some brass-founderies and bcll-founderies, and tin-ware is 

 furnished for exportation. Leather is made in great quantities, aud including its products, 

 boots and shoes, saddles, harness, trunks, &c., forms one of the most important items of man 

 iifactures. The making of cordage, hats, furniture, clothes, paper, glass, coaches and wagons, 

 soap and tallow candles, spermaceti candles, and wooden ware, employs large numbers. Salt 

 is made from sea-water, chiefly by solar heat, to the amount of about 500,000 bushels a year • 

 and Epsom and Glauber salts are obtained from the same source. The preparation of India 

 Rubber cloth, impervious to water, and the making of it up into various articles of clothing and 

 family use, although of recent date, are carried on in several large establishments. Dye stufl's, 

 bleaching salts, and numerous other chemical articles used in the various manufactures, are also 

 produced in considerable quantities. Ship-building is extensively carried on. Many of the 

 productions of manufacturing industry, though trifling in appearance, are in the aggregate of 

 considerable value, and some of them are furnished by household labor, and constitute an 

 raportant source of gain to the rural population during the long and severe winters. Co"nbj 



