Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-06-12
1ailu Ntnnebte sournal
FARMING IN MASSACHUSETTS,
AU G. U STA.
MONDAY MORNING. Juno IL, 1871.

FARMING IN MASSACHUSETTS,
The New York Evening Post having taken
statements from the report of the labor bureau
of Massachusetts, as text to show that pro-
lection las been unfavorable to farming in
that State, has been answered by facts which
give the matter different appearance. The
Post says: at seems almost incredible that
the native Massachusetts, farmer is rapidly
dying out, that the few native farmers that
are left are generally poor and ignorant, the
more intelligent ones having abandoned farm
ing as q pursuit, or emigrated westward"
The Springfield Republican replies to this as
follows:
Well, neighbor, you need not believe all
this if you are at all particular what you be-
lieve, for you may rest assured 1t is not true.
There is basis of fact for the wild exagger-
alton of this description of Massachusetts,
agriculture, but we have great many native
farmers left yet, and they are no poorer nor
more ignorant than they were twenty or fifty
years ago. 1t is perfectly true that "an in
telligent person of American parentage work
ing as hired farm laborer is scarcely to be
found, and that Irish and French Canadian
laborers are taking the place of the native
born, both as hired help, as tenants on lease,
and as owners of the SOIL" But it is not true
that these new Corners fare necessarily less
intelligent, less skillful, and employ less cap
ital than the men they displace; and, as
consequence, but few improvements are made,
the general character of the farming declines,
production diminishes and becomes less
10 Tn suJ,h rbo do
be so, but, in many others, these new farmers
are cultivating land that their predecessors
neglected, and are doubling and trebling its
value. Having much muscle and little capt.
tai they do not till good many acres poorly,
but clear up and dig and manure a few acres
until they bring them into good condition.
Nor is it any more true than it was twenty or
fifyt years ago, that "large.numbers of women
are seen doing heavy field work; and large
numbers of children under thirteen years Of
age are employed in agricultural labor" In
old times the women and children aided in
farm labor, and probably, though there are
no statistics to show for it, either way, the
number who did SO was much greater in 1910
than it is now.
The Post cites what it considers evidence
to show that, sin some counties" of Massa-
chusetts, ''only men of second " third rate
ability, physically and mentally, are left to
work on the farms-the faxms are left to the
old men and women, and country populations
are decreasing at fearful rate" Now, it is
possible that there are few towns of which
these statements are literally true, though we
know of none, but to present this as cor
rect picture of whole counties, or of a single
county in Massachusetts,, is absurd. In order
to show that this is so, we have taken pains
to compare the present taxable valuation of
- ~.
Of the State, which together contain three
fourths Of the farms, with their valuation in
1860. These counties are Berkshire, Frank
lin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester and
Middlesex, containing in 1860, l58 towns, at
least third part of which may be called
purely agricultural, while in another third
agriculture is the prevailing industry. We
ind, in the first place, that the real estate in
these six counties is now worth more by up-
wards Of $40, 000, 900 than the whole real and
personal property was in 1860; that only 80
towns, or a little more than one fifth, have
decreased their valuation, and that, in the
aggregate but little more than million while
the single suburban farming and gardening
town of Newton has increased its valuation
more than ten millions; and that the farming
towns, as whole, have gained largely il
population.
In Berkshire county, nine towns, mostly
small and containing in 1860 less than fiftl
part the population of the county, have de-
creased their valuation. In Franklin, twelv,
towns, containing less than a third of tn,
population of the county in 1860, have de-
creased in valuation. In Hampden, three
towns, containing about one-sixteenth of tn,
whole population, decreased in valuation; il
Hampshire four towns, containing thirteentl
of the population; in Worcester county three
..r.x &c
lation, and in Middlesex four towns, contain
ing less than one sixtieth Of the population
In the six counties, the 81 towns whose valu
alton has decreased, contained in 1860 just
about one-sixteenth of the population, ant
not more than that population of the farm
values of the whole six counties, in which,
II anywhere, this wholesale depopulation anC
depreciation must have taken place.
II the Evening Post can find confirmation
OF its gloomy views in these statistics, we
confess we cannot. OF course the relative
Importance of agriculture in Massachusetts is
growing less, as manufactures increase, too,
there Is tendency here, as everywhere else,
for the most unskilled laborers to seek the
rudest labor, and for the more intelligent to
md occupation demanding more skill or sup
posed to bring greater comfort and social DO
sition. Farm labor, unfortunately, is still
comparatively rude and will employ men who
can do nothing else well, and many of these
will not do farm work well. But along with
this tendency, and to some extent counteract.
ing it, has gone a rapid improvement in farm.
ing implements, q great shortening of the
hours of farm labor, and a considerable in
crease of intelligence among farmers ant
gardeners. Indeed, gardening, as an occu
patton, has probably been improved and ele
waited more within the last ten years, in Mas
sachusetts, than any other pursuit, and i
nov the most profitable of the manual occu
pstions. Farming also has greatly improve,
in many ways; less land is titled, but it i
better cultivated; special crops are replacing
the old fashion of raising little of every
thing on every farm; and much more atten
tion than ever before is paid to one of our bes
crops that of firewood. Thousands and ten
Of thousands of acres Of woodland are nov
growing up, under careful oversight, Gam
oftentimes planted) TO replace the wood Gu
Off every year. This diminishes the nomina
amount Of acres in farms, but it is only
nominal decrease.