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wild grasses take hold, and the ground is harder. As a gen- 

 eral rule such land ought to be plowed, if very thick with 

 weeds and grass and hard. It should then be leveled with 

 the harrow and sown as already directed. But some of our 

 farmers have succeeded without plowing. The after culture 

 consists in keeping out the iron-weed. This can be done 

 only by eradicating it, whenever it shows itself. One of our 

 most experienced and intelligent farmers, Mr. Edward Borland, 

 informed me that for about sixteen years he has mown them 

 down, once every year and sometimes twice, on one of his 

 pastures, but without any other effect than to make the stalk 

 more slender. It would, he said, have been much cheaper to 

 have grubbed them up at once. Where they have got no 

 hold, he carefully pulls up every one that shows itself. 



Many autumns are too wet to burn the leaves, and a farmer 

 having purchased seed risks sowing it on the leaves. This is 

 wrong. Either he should wait, or by raking the leaves be 

 enabled to burn them. 



The kinds of seed are the Kentucky and English blue 

 grass. The latter is preferred for winter pastures, as it con- 

 tinues greener longer, and grows sooner in the spring. It 

 will grow in thicker woods than the Kentucky. A consid- 

 erable portion of this seed is annually gathered in our 

 county. 



On the general subject of the present condition of our ag- 

 riculture, I have but to add, that the large and constantly 

 increasing amount of clover sown in our county, gives one 

 of the best evidences of our progress. But there remains 

 much to accomphsh, and a wide field is opened to our asso- 

 ciation, for the performance of that duty which it owes to 

 society and the occupation of its members. 



The law makes it my duty to lay before the State Board 

 copies of all addresses that have been made to the society 

 In November last, the late President Wylie addressed us ex- 

 temporaneously, having given him but two days' notice of 

 our desire that he would address us. I requested him to give 



