which visited this part of the county about 1797, that I will first copy it :

"In the year 1734, a few caterpillars, of a peculiar kind, appeared on the oak trees as soon as the leaves began to grow. In 1735 a much larger number, one hundred to one, were seen, but in this year (1736) the number was astonishing. Almost all the woods in Haverhill and Bradford, (some part of the east end excepted,) the east part of Chester and Andover, many thousand acres of thick woods, had their leaves and twigs of this year's growth entirely eaten up-so that the trees were as naked as in the depth of winter. They were larger than common caterpillars, and made no nests. No river or pond could stop them; they would swim like dogs, and travel in unaccountable armies, and completely cover whole houses and trees. Cart and carriage wheels would be dyed green, from the number they crushed in their progress!"

Mr. Richard Kelley, of Amesbury, in his diary, says, "They are larger than the orchard caterpillar, but smooth on the back, with a black streak with white spots."

I have never seen, in print or manuscript, any account of a very similar calamity which occurred within the memory of the writer.

About 1797, similar worms began to appear upon the oaks, which so increased in three or four years, that the oak wood lands were cleared of leaves, and the trees made no deeper shade in August than in winter! The white oaks enjoyed a partial exemption, but the red, black and yellow oaks were entirely stripped of leaves. When they left the trees, they infested all the buildings which were near oak woods, and I have a pretty distinct recollection that their swimming qualities were then noticed.

Mr. Kelley's description does not exactly apply to these; they were mostly black, with a stripe of yellow on each side of the back, and crawled rapidly with many legs. The cart ruts, in a sandy road leading through my father's woodland, gath

ered them in myriads; and the crushing them as we carted hay through the woods, is distinctly recollected.

They disappeared about the third or fourth year, more suddenly than they came. The trees mostly survived, with many dead limbs. The shrub oak was entirely stripped of leaves. I write from distinct and rather bitter recollection of what was then considered a great calamity, which excited much attention and many fears. Being but a boy, my observations extend only over the immediate neighborhood, in the west part of Georgetown; and this is written in the hope that from some. old almanac, newspaper or diary, a better account may be brought out.

About 1620, I discovered at the road-side, in Groveland, a small tree bent down with the weight of some hundreds of the genuine article. I destroyed every one; and whether in so doing I prevented a repetition of the former visitation, will never be known.

The canker-worm of the orchard sometimes infests the elm, but they have been much damaged in this vicinity.

The blast which a few years ago invaded the plane tree or button-wood, has not, I believe, been satisfactorily explained. The tree remained perfectly healthy, and the damage occurred to the new growth as it put forth its tender leaves each year, leaving an unsightly knot where it attempted to produce its broad leaves. I examined many of these knots, but could never detect the living worm, though I was satisfied that the whole mischief was then and there, and perpetuated by a minute worm or insect, whose presence and operations it was difficult to detect or prevent. Its work seems to have ceased in this vicinity.

JEREMIAH SPOFFORD,

Of the Committee.

GRAIN CROPS.

The Committtee on Grain Crops award the following gratuities:

To Hanson Ordway of West Newbury, for his crop of

corn,

$10 00

To Francis Little of Newbury, for his crop of wheat, 8 00

STATEMENT OF HANSON ORDWAY.

The crop of corn on one acre of land, which I have presented for premium, is not yet entirely harvested. I have therefore gathered the corn on two rods, the same being a fair average of the whole, the weight of which was ninety-nine and one-half pounds. The land was in onions last year, manured with six and one-half cords barn-yard manure. The present year, three cords manure was applied broadcast, and ploughed in. The corn was planted on the tenth and eleventh of May, and manured in the hill, with two cords old manure thoroughly pulverized. The corn planted is called the Dole corn. The land is a light loam, with gravelly subsoil.

The cost of cultivation and harvesting I estimate as follows:

To drawing and spreading manure,

Ploughing and harrowing,

Planting,

Seed,

Hoeing and cultivating (three times),
Harvesting,

$2.00

2.00

3 00

50

700

700

STATEMENT OF FRANCIS LITTLE.

The crop of Wheat which I enter for premium was grown upon land that lies at the foot of the westerly slope of Merrimac ridge, so called, in Newbury, and contains one acre and ten rods. The soil is a strong dark loam, resting upon a bed of clay; though over a large part of it, there is an intervening layer of yellow loam. It has been under ploughed cultivation for the past twelve or fifteen years—for the major part of the time with onions; but owing to the failure of that crop for three or four years previous to 1860, it has been occupied with mixed crops of corn, potatoes, carrots, and some onions.

In 1860 it was planted with Indian corn, and dressed with about eight cords of common barn-yard manure applied broadcast to the acre. The crop might be considered good, although it did not get thoroughly ripe.

The present year, the ground was ploughed and harrowed early in May, and upon the 4th of that month I sowed two bushels of bald wheat. This was harrowed in. I then sowed grass seed, and carefully rolled the whole with a common wooden roller. No dressing was applied.

The crop was cradled Aug. 9th and 10th, and was threshed the first week in September. It laid in the chaff about a week, and was then winnowed; and after standing in flour barrels for a week or ten days more, was measured. The whole product was thirty-seven bushels and six quarts, weighing 65 lbs. to the bushel.

I enclose a statement of the cost of the crop, and its present

The Committee on the Treadwell Farm would respectfully report :

1

That the present condition of the Farm, under the management of Mr. Brown, is very much in advance of that exhibited by it at any time since it came into the possession of the