380 [Ass^MBLt 



Extracts from the address of Jonathan Battey, President. 



Improvements effected by ike labor and influence of the Society. 



" Tliat changes more or less important have taken place in the 

 mode of cultivaiing the soil, in the rearing and management of 

 stock, and in various other departments of agricultural practice, 

 must I think be apparent to all. But before we can be prepared 

 correctly to estimate, wherein and to what extent improvement 

 has been effected; and how wC; by our organization, have con- 

 tributed to such improvement, it may be neccessary that we should 

 revert for a moment, to the state of agriculture as it existed here 

 prior to the organization of the Society, and compare it with the 

 state in which it exists at the present time. 



Deep Plowing, 



'' Of the numerous points in our husbandry in which improve- 

 ment may be claimed, none perhaps exhibits better evidence in 

 support of its claim, than depth of tillage. Ten years ago, the 

 average depth of plowing in this county, was not probably more 

 than five inches-, whereas now it may be safely stated at seven in- 

 ches or more. Whether or not this constitutes an improvement, 

 your own experience and observation will enable you to deter- 

 inine. 



Manner of Seeding. 



" Ten years ago, our farmers ordinarily sowed of spring wheat, 

 only one to one and a fourth bushels of seed to the acre ; and of oats, 

 but one and a half to two bushels. Now, the average rate of seed- 

 ing does not probably fall much below two bushels of wheat, and 

 three of oats to the acre ; and there has been a corresponding in- 

 crease in the average amount of the yield, of probably not less 

 than four bushels of the former, and ten bushels of the latter per 

 acre ; and a similar remark will apply to most other grain crops. 

 At that time also, most farmers here allowed their crops of grain, 

 of every kind, to stand till fully ripe, and many till the kernel 

 was dry enough to grind, before the grain was cut. 



