No. 63.] 383 



penses of cultivation, affords a generous remuneration for the capital 

 invested in these times of low prices. 



Your committee next called to view the farm of Daniel Fish, in 

 the town of Pittstown, on the south side of the Hoosick river, con- 

 taining about 220 acres — 122 under the plow, 27 in meadow, and 78 

 in pasture and woodland. The greatest portion of this farm is com- 

 posed of a gravelly loam, mixed with some sand and black muck, in 

 swampy places. Mr. Fish has resided on his farm only four years. Its 

 present appearance, in contrast with its former condition, is a pleasing 

 evidence of the good effects of well directed skill and industry. Mr. F. 

 called our attention to extensive underdraining, and the good effects 

 of the same upon two fields which formerly were marshy waste land, 

 which were now covered with very luxuriant crops of barley, oats, 

 flax and potatoes. Mr. Fish has made great improvement in fences. 

 We noticed a sod fence made over a field of wet ground, answering 

 a double purpose, by also making a ditch in the excavation made for 

 the fence. Mr. Fish pursues the usual course of rotation of crops, 

 with manure, seeding and plaster, which, if judiciously done, is well 

 adapted to the grain growing portion of our county, and will not ex- 

 haust, but increase the fertility of the soil. Our attention was called 

 to a field of flax, to the cultivation of which much attention is paid 

 in the above town. The manner of raising it is to take the ground 

 on which corn or potatoes were raised the previous year, and prepared 

 as for other spring crops; the usual quantity of seed per acre is about 

 I^ bushels, rendering a double profit from the seed and lint. The 

 slow and disagreeable process of pulling by hand is about being ob- 

 viated by a newly invented machine, worked by horse power, which 

 is said to be equal to the labor of seven men; which, your committee 

 not having had an opportunity of examining, are unable to describe. 

 The buildings of Mr. Fish are extensive and in good order, having 

 in view convenience and utility as well as appearance. The last 

 though not the least pleasing to which our attention was called, was 

 the garden, (an expression in relation to which may not be consider- 

 ed within the province of the duty assigned to us, but we cannot 

 refrain from making a few remarks in reference thereto,) in which 

 were combined the ornamental with the substantially useful, contain- 

 ing every variety of vegetables, shrubbery and flowers, and all ar- 

 ranged and cultivated, as your committee were informed, by Mrs. 

 Fish, without the aid or assistance of man power — thus setting an 

 example for the effeminate housewife worthy of all imitation, and 

 more conducive to health and the comforts of domestic life than 

 the silly fondness entertained by too many in the fashionable circles 

 for shining gewgaws and gilded baubles. We here give an extract 

 from the written statement made to your committee, of the kind of 

 fence on the farm, the quantity of blind and open ditches made, 

 and an estimate of the production of the farm the present season. 

 He has made of open ditch, 240 rods; of blind ditch, about 500 

 rods; of fence, as follows: Of picket fence, 70 rods; of board fence, 

 painted, 300 rods; common board fence, 150 rods; stump fence, 200 

 rods; sod fence, 40 rods; stone wall, 250 rods; rail fence, 500 rods. 



