Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-08-22

state are now ranked among the best pub
LEGATIONS of the kind in the United states.
Had the Massachusetts State Board oil
Agriculture taken the same decisive course
and required the Secretary to devote his
time to the study and advancement OF
what shall promote the agriculture OF the
state. for which service the commonwealth
literally pays him, and has paid him for
nearly quarter of century, 1t might
have something more to show Tor funds
thus employed than it now has.
According to your correspondent Mr.
Editor. the Massachusetts Board OF Agri-
culture holds but one public meeting annu-
ally, instead of many, as done IN vermont
and New Hampshire, and at the last TWO
meetings the Secretary lectured' as report
ed, on the agriculture of the Pacific
State" instead of his own Atlantic state.
No other man in Massachusetts has such
opportunities to instruct the farmers OF the
state as he has, paid as he is the liberal
salary of S2500 per annum, with Sl2Oo
clerk to help him do what? and echo an
swers, what?
Ifthe present Secretary of the Massachu-
sets State Board is really doing the best
work of which he is capable (Which we
doubt,) then let the Board elect such a man
as Prof. Goessman. Secretary of the Massa-
chusetts Board of Agriculture, and then
they will have an officer every way htted
to do something to promote the agrlcul-
ture of the state. Professor Goessman
would establish experiment stations all
over the commonwealth, have the results
reported to him, and after being chemical
ly considered and examined. have them
published in the agriculture of Massn
chuselts,' thus making that volume what
il should be, valuable annual, because of
its practical original investigations. The
most valuable contributions to the last vol
ume are those made by Professor Goess-
man, notwithstanding the Board paid sew
entv-fve dollars for lecture on the thread
bare subject of " Homeseads to citizen
of neighboring state. What II pity that
the interest in agricultural matters in Mas
sarhusctts has fallen so low that seventy
live-dollar lectures from outsiders are need
ed on hackneycd subjects to fill mp the time
Of its meetings
For one | hope as practical farmer,
taxed for paying the $500 salary annually
for what amounts to nothing better than
ordinary clerical work in this department
of state, that need not cost $1,000, that your
corresp ondents presentation of this subject
will have the effect to stir up the numer-
Gus membership of our Board from all
parts of the commonwealth, to require
more of its Secretary than has
been done for the past twenty Years.
While the Secretary is paid liberal
salary for serving the State Board, it seems
questionable whether he should be permit
ted to devote a large share of his time to
editing newspaper (at another liberal
salory,) and to other outside ana remuner
alive Jobs, compelling him to neglect his
duties and rare opportunities in the study
of the great problems of Massachusetts ag
riculure, its encouragement and develop
ment
Rotation is one Of the elements of good
farming. Suppose the Board should try
it, if all other expedients fail? They have
nothing to fear in the experiment, and
much 10 hope. The public demand some
thing more than they are now receiving
from the large outlay by the State Board
and its Secretary; they seek for greater
activity and efficiency; they are not satisf-
ed with the routine office work, the care
less Indifference to important interests now
at the headquarters of the Board
A. FARMER.