Litchfield enquirer., 1877-07-26
Agriculture In Massachusetts.

We have before us the report of the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture, which appears under the signature of Charles L.. Flint. the secretary of the Board It gives a favorable account of progress made by the farmers of Massa- chusetts in the methods of tillage and husbandry. The report compares the products of every ten years, beginning with the year 1S45; with the ten years following up to 1875. It appears that although not so much of the great staples of barley, wheat, Indian corn, potatoes and oats is now raised as formerly, the average yield by the acre is greater, while the lighter crops-beans, beets, carrots, cranbeTies, onions and turnips-have largely increased. both in the entire amount and also by the acre. The hay crop has increased, in both respects. The neat cattle have been in the mean time greatly improved in value by the intro- duction of COWS of those pure breeds, which are the most. valuable. There is another important respect in which an i'm. provement has been made, and of which the report thus speaks at it's close:
 ''The resort to manufactured and com nfereial fertilizers for the supply of plant food is not only of modern date, but it may be said to have attained it's present important aspect wholly within the last ten years. Previous to the enactment of what is commonly called the fertilizer law, the farmer had no protection against fraud. There was no we'll recognized standard. to which commercial prod- ucts of this character were required to conform. Failure after failure. due sometimes to the dishonesty of manufac- urers or dealers, and to adulterations which there were no adequate means to detect, sometimes to improper modes of application and treatment, had led to Q universal distrust and want of confi- dence in the value of such fertilizers, and their use was in consequence, very limited. The law now gives a reasonable degree of protection to every farmer who buys with ordinary care, and the standard of quality is not only far higher but the means for ascertaining this quality very much more within the farmers reach. This will be seen, on moments consid- eTaelon, to be Q most important step in the way of progress. When the produc- ton of farm crops was dependent chiefly on the manurial supplies of the farm alone. there was limit beyond which no farmer could go in the profitable produc- ton of human food. A perfect system of artificial supply of plant-food' such as we have reason to anticipate in the not dis. tant future, will vastly increase the possi- bilities of production, and place the prac- tical pursuit of farming on level with any other branch of applied chemistry. Then capital will find not only safe, but a profitable investment in farm operations, and thus aid in developing the productive capacities of the commonwealth.
 The Emperor of Russia has been lead. ing very simple life at Ploiesti. He worked without ceasing. signing Hundreds of documents~ daily. Every document must be read over to him, for he will give no signature which is merely mechanical. To the entreatles of his servants to take thing more easily he has always the same answer: CT am neither old enough nor ill enough to relieve myself from my obliga- tions. The Czar reached his ffty-ninth year on the 23d of June. His dinner IS served regularly at twelve o'clock noon, after which he takes drive, usually with the Grown Prince NE A sAst L,oais newspaper man has been to Chicago, and written letter about 1t. the character of which can be judged from these headlines; :.Notes of a Day Stroll in a Poverty Stricken City. How Greedy Ambition Completely Overleaped its Mark. Dilapidation, Ruin and Decay Amid Magnifcence. Impressions Gather cd in 2 Shabby Oenteel Oily" Now just Wait till Chicago newspaper man writes up Sk Ts0Sia again