consideration, whether some, improvement cannot be made in the principle of awarding premiums. At any rate they think it may be some evidence of an advanced state of agricultural knowledge, when the greatest amount of produce shall not be deemed conculsive proof of the best cultivation.

The statement of Mr. Williams was not received until after the committee had awarded upon the claims previously submitted.

For the committee,

September 30, 1840..

N. W. HAZEN.

SAMUEL STUART'S STATEMENT.

To the Committee on the Cultivation of Crops.

GENTLEMEN-I offer for premium, a crop of winter rye, raised on the Town farm, in Haverhill. The land is a part of the great plain, (so called) and lies immediately on the northern side of the Merrimac river. The soil is a sandy loam, usually called intervale.

In the fall of 1838, the rye stubble, and weeds were ploughed in. The first week in July, 1839, it was again ploughed, and rather more than two acres sowed with buckwheat. Weeds of various kinds sprang up on the remainder of it, and during the first and second weeks in September, the whole green crop, which was quite large, was turned under, and the land sowed with six bushels of rye. For several years no other manure has been applied to this part of the farm, than stubble, weeds, &c., ploughed At the usual time the crop was harvested, and yielded one hundred and seventy seven and one eighth bushels.

in.

You will perceive by the accompanying certificate,

that this piece of land is about eighty rods in length, next the river, and, for rather more than two rods in width, the soil is quite light, and also shaded with trees and bushes, so that probably on an acre or more it did not yield over ten bushels per acre. It is supposed that two acres yielded but little if any short of forty bushels per acre. But our arrangements were such that we could not separate it.

Yours respectfully,

SAMUEL STUART,

GENTLEMEN-I offer for premium a crop of Indian corn, obtained from one hundred and eighty seven poles of land, and measuring ninety three bushels; making eighty bushels to an acre. It was an eight rowed corn, large kernel; and the most of it of a redish color.

The soil on which it grew, was a dark loam, with a gravelly subsoil. About one third of the land was planted with corn last year, the remainder was grass land; about half of this was ploughed in the autumn of 1839; at the time of ploughing, manure from the barn cellar, at the rate of about four cords to the acre, was ploughed in, the rest was ploughed in the spring and manured the same. The new ground was rolled, and compost manure, at the rate of about four cords per acre, spread on the whole and harrowed in. No manure was put in the hill, it was all spread. The corn was planted about three feet and four inches apart. In cultivating it a small horse harrow was used; the ground was kept as level as possible;

at the last time of hoeing, hay-seed was sown, it came up well, and promises well for a good crop. Yours respectfully,

DANIEL PUTNAM.

Danvers, December 30, 1840.

WILLIAM

WILLIAMS's

STATEMENT.

To the Committee on the Cultivation of Crops.

GENTLEMEN-The field of corn which I cultivated the present season, contained one acre, fifty four rods, as measured by Mr. Northend. The produce of the lot was one hundred and eight bushels of good sound corn, not including the pig corn. It was measured by Frederick Rogers. This field had been laid down to grass, for eight or nine years, and no manure applied during that time. I ploughed it in the early part of May, 1839, cutting the furrows from six to seven inches deep, and planted it with corn, applying about eight cords of barn yard manure, and raised thereon eighty five bushels of sound corn. I again ploughed it the present season, with one yoke of oxen, once, and harrowed it smooth, and then furrowed it about three and a half feet each way, and applied twenty cart loads, or about ten cords, of barn yard manure in the hills. The kind of corn planted was what we call the eight rowed yellow corn, large kernel and small cob; yielding four or five quarts more than a bushel, from two bushels of ears. It was hoed three times, very little hill made to it, having learned by experience that there is no benefit derived from making hills about the corn. When ripe, I cut it up close to the ground; the fodder pays well for cutting it up. Considering the quality of the soil, and the manner in which it has been neglected in years past, it is

the opinion of those who saw my corn, that my crop was a good one. But whether it will compare with the crops on more favored soils, under the management of skilful cultivators, I must leave for others to determine.

WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

Rowley, December 30, 1840.

FRANCIS DODGE'S STATEMENT.

To the Committee on the Cultivation of Crops.

GENTLEMEN-The following statement for claim of premium for greatest quantity of corn raised on the acre, accompanied with necessary certificates, is respectfully submitted.

That the same was raised on the farm under my direction, situated in Danvers, (by the Newburyport turnpike,) on the southern declivity of a hill near the same turnpike. The soil is loam, resting on a clayey gravel, and was tilled as follows: (the previous year the same was broken up and planted with corn, yet as the farm was not under my occupancy, know nothing of the mode of culture,)-In the month of April the ground was ploughed clean, not splitting the hills. On the last of April it was cross ploughed and about four cords of cellar manure ploughed in. Was furrowed at a distance of three feet six inches one way, and three feet eight inches the other; after which about four cords of old manure was placed in the hills, the acre. Five to seven kernels were dropped originally; thinned to five the first hoeing. At first hoeing, ploughed two furrows in the row, only one way. Second hoeing, ploughed same way, with only one shallow furrow in the centre, and the last hoeing no ploughing was had.

The crop produced was under my direction and

management, and produced seventy nine and five eighths bushels the acre, double that quantity the two acres by admeasurement; or, by weight at fifty six pounds the bushel, one hundred and sixty six and four fifths bushels the two acres. The same absolutely weighing fifty eight and two thirds pounds the bushel; all which is corroborated by statement of James Flanders, who was employed by me during its growth, and also assisted in gathering it.

The two acres were admeasured and staked off by J. P. Saunders, of Salem, whose certificate is herewith submitted.

Yours respectfully,

Danvers, November 7, 1840.

FRANCIS DODGE.

ON EXPERIMENTS ON MANURES.

To the Trustees of the Essex Agricultural Society.

GENTLEMEN-The committee to whom was referred the communication of Doctor Andrew Nichols, on the subject of compost manures, have at several times visited his farm in Middleton, where he has made experiments. The soil is naturally light, and for many years has been severely cropped without receiving much manure. The number of live stock kept upon the farm is small, and, but little manure has been purchased. The distance from any place where animal manure can be purchased at a reasonable rate, seems almost to preclude this means of obtaining it. Under such difficulties Dr. Nichols has been very successful in the manufacture and application of a compost, the ingredients of which