374 [Senate 



January, 1S42, at which time a list of premiums were agreed upon 

 and published. The committee then adjourned to the 5th day of 

 June following, at which time they again assembled and appointed 

 committees in the several towns in said county, to examine faims and 

 crops; adjourned to the 20th day of October, at which time the an- 

 nual fair was held. A good collection of stock, and a variety of ar- 

 ticles of domestic manufacture, were presented for competition: they 

 were examined by the several committees and premiums awarded. 



The Society elected its officers for the ensuing year, and adjourned 

 to the 26th of November, at which time an address was delivered be- 

 fore the Society by Byron Dinsmore, Esq., and $152 was paid for 

 premiums on farms, fences, cattle, swine, field crops, silk, horticul- 

 tural articles, farming tools, &c., and $8.81 for printing, &c., and 

 there is now in the treasurer's hands $36.56 unexpended. 



Enclosed are some of the reports received from members who drew 

 premiums, which I regret to say are not as full as we could desire, 

 and are not such as the law appeared to require. 



The executive committee have been unable thus far, to obtain such 

 reports from the several viewing committees as appeared to them to 

 be worthy of public notice; yet we do not despair of complying bet- 

 ter with the law in future, as numbers of practical and intelligent 

 men are beginning to give better attention to the subject. 



Barre^ December 24^, 1842. Charles Lee, Prest. 



Cobble Stone Wall. — A premium was awarded to C. Robinson, 

 for the best stone wall, which was built in the following manner: 



The ground to receive the wall first made smooth by leveling cra- 

 dle knolls, &c. Then place in the largest stones, selecting at the 

 same time, the second size, or such as are suitable and of proper 

 shape for topping stone. These stone should be long enough to 

 reach entirely across the top of the wall as prepared to receive them, 

 and they serve as binders. 



When the bottom is laid, properly filled up and leveled, lay on a 

 course of cedar sticks, split one-third of an inch in thickness, and as 

 wide as the timber will make — sticks laid close together — then ano- 

 ther course of stone — then sticks — then stone, and so on, tapering up 

 double wall, six or seven courses, according to the size of the stone, 

 3 feet 8 inches, or 4 feet high, till it is fitted by leveling off and put- 

 ting on the top course of sticks for the topping stone. Place them 

 snugly on, chink up both sides well with small stone, and it is fin- 

 ished. I lay about three rods at a stretch, with lines. Face both 

 sides; the sticks for each course corresponding in length exactly with 

 the width of the course of stone on which they are to be laid. 

 Width of wall on the bottom, 2 feet 7 inches. Height when com- 

 pleted, from 4 to 4 feet 6 inches. Stone so selected that the lower 

 courses receive the larger stone, and so up, so that the last course 

 immediately under the topping stone shall be composed of the small- 

 est of the whole. The width of the top will be determined by the 

 size of the stone, both topping and other. C. Robinson. 



JVov. 26, 1842. 



