The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-01-30
First Annual Report Of the Secretary
of the Board Of Agriculture.
ny 3. l.. GooDALE.

There is no report submitted to the pres
ent Legislature, which is intrinscally of so
much value to all classes, and SO able,
whether We consider its arrangement offacts,
its suggestions or conclusions, as Mr.. Good
ales's, Secretary Of the board of Agriculture.
Mr.. Goodale is passionate lover OF mans
first and noblest occupation, and this adni-
ration for the art, if we may call farming
an art, has induced him to make the study
Of agricultural works Of standard excellence,
and the practical pursuits ofagriculture his
business for number Of years. To cul-
tivated mind he adds close obseryant powers,
such rs eminently tit him TO contribute val
liable acquisitions to the agricultural knOwl-
edge in our State. Gov. Hamlin in his mes
sage refers to Mr.. GOodale's work. the proof
sheets which he had seen, as report which
he believed {" will be most useful to the Az
ricultuul interest Of the State for the val
liable information ii contains" and the
opinion is correct. In arranging for materi-
ais for his report, Mr.. GOOdale addressed u
circular to successful farmers in each town
in the State, propoundinS to them series
OF questions, 80 in number connected with
agricultural operations in our State, with q
view ofobtaining from their replies knowl-
edge of the characteristics of our soil, the
nature and extent of crops raised, the char
acter of our stock, the influence of certain
pursuits upon agriculture, and as far as prac-
ticable, correct view Of the extent Of the
Agricultural interests of our State, and its
capabilities in an agricultural direction.-
by judiciOus selection and abridgement of
these replies, he has in his report given the
State much information ola practical nature
which will be exceedingly valuable to all
who wish well for the agricultural prosreri-
ty of our State. His work differs from all
Others which have been published hereto
fore in our State, under direction Of the
State government, inasmuch as it is thor
oughly digested and arranged work, instead
of the heaping together of mass of crude,
and frequently valueleSs proceedings of Az
ricultural societies SO yoluminous as to fright
en- n common reader by.their ponderous sire.
and of 80 little value as not to repay the
careful enquirer for agricultural knowledge
for the labor which is necessary to peruse
them. The State has paid large sums for
the publication of the transactions of the
Agricultural Societies, but the usefulness Of
their publication has not been in proportion
to the drain such publication has made on
the State Treasury. We presume that the
gentleman under whose direction these
Transactions have been published has done
the work in conformity with the provisions
Of the legislative order or law under which
they have been printed, but we submit that
lad these reports been condensed and the in.
formation they contained subtracted from
the heap Of chaff in which it was covered,
and this alone given, it would have been
better for the State.
Mr.. GOOdale's report, which is work of
, l1G pagcs, Is, as we have said, an entirely
different work. IIc has winnowed the
chat from the wheat, and given il in such a
form as to be useful. In his remarks pre-
cedinS his exhibition of the present condi-
ton and prospects OF agriculture in Maine,
there are many valuable hints and sugses-
tiOns which all classes. especially farmers,
may read with profit.
We propose to mako, occasionally, ex-
tracts from the report, and we doubt not but
they will be read with pleasure and profit
by our readers.
Commencing with some well considered
remarks on the Importance of agriculture,
its connection with the moral and social
well beng Of the State. and it, favorable
effects upon the physical and moral health |
Of tho people, Mr.. Goodale passes to sketch
Of the associated elort, and Of legislation in
Maine relative to agriculture. After going
over the history Of associated and individual
effort in the State for the improvement of
agriculture he says:
From this brief sketch, it isapparent, that
even after more than n quarter ola century
ofetfOrt on the part Of the most intelligent
farmers Of the State, the Legislature has
scarcely granted their prayer, modest Us it
l.. h,s 4. L.,
slowly. Why has il been thus tardy ?-l
) veral causes may be named. one Of which |
sa lack of unanimity Us to the precise |
means most expedient to compass the desired
end. Ii is perfectly natural that this should
be the as the field ofaction is 50 broad,
the interest - vast, and the means 80 varied, |
that il is not strange if opinions vary also |
rs to their relative merit. Another, is the |
Indifference Of the mass Of unintelligcnt far |
mers to any improvements, content, If not
determined, to tread only in the beaten |
track of their ancestors. A third, and the |
worst is, that among the legislators them
selves. there have usually been a few far
mers Tor nominally sueh) who seem 50 thor
oughly imbued with the conviction that ev-
cry dollar expended is absolutely lost, and |
much clear gain, that il is utterly incom-
prchensiblc how they could ever be induced
to scatter seed orsprcad manure, instead Of
sariHy both, and whose views of the ultimate
end and aim oflcgislation would seem best
met and realized by abOlishing taxation, or
perhaps more justly, by reducing il to the
neediul amount to pay their per diem allow
ance and travel. Such men have ever been
steadily and uneompromisingly opposed TO
every movement in behalf of agriculture. in
yolying the least expenditure whatever
and it canno, he wondered at. If those,
otherwise well disposed should hesitate
when opposed By some Of tho very men APP
parently representing the interest," to be BEN
Gifted. These causes are all steadily giving
way. More liberal views obtain, interest Is
awakening among those before torpid and
lethargic, views rs TO the preferable meas
urcs 20 secure Advancement are harmonir-