SECRETARY'S REPORT. 119 



Top-DRESSiNa, as a means of increasing the fertility of grass 

 land, -seems not to liave received any great amount of attention at 

 the hands of Maine farmers, and yet, judging from the replies of 

 those who have practiced it, the result of their experience is almost 

 universally in its favor, as an effectual and profitable means. 



" There is but little practice of top-dressing of grass lands, yet I believe it 

 to be the way. Tlie attention of farmers should be called to this fact. I care 

 not what your dressing may be, (the better the dressing, the better the crop, 

 of course ;) you may take the gravel from the ditch, and you will bo hand- 

 somely paid for all trouble. The roots of grass, of late years, are more or 

 less thrown out by the action of the frost, and they are left exposed to the 

 cold of spring, and the action of the sun, causing them to be dried and 

 •withered. Now take a dressing of sand or loam and apply it early in the 

 spring, covering up these roots. We shall find, instead of one blade of grass, 

 {and that slender,) several blades luxuriantly growing. This is no whim, 

 neither does it require any art to understand ifc. It is nothing less than plain 

 common sense. It should b3 laid on to the depth of a half or whole inch. I 

 am satisfied the expense would be met by a return of many fold." 



G. H. Andrews, Monmouth. 



" I have not practiced top-dressing to much extent with manure, but will 

 name one experiment. Four years ago, immediately after haying, 1 carted 

 from the shore eight loads of sea-weed, and spread it thinly over about one 

 acre, where 1 cut less than half a ton of hay that season. Before winter had 

 set in, there sprang up a fine second crop of clover and herds grass. The next 

 season, I cut at least two tons of good English hay from that piece, and have 

 cut two fair crops from it since, without any more being done to it. This 

 piece of soil is a clayey loam. 1 have tried sea-weed in fall and spring, but 

 with less success. I think the great benefit derived from it in this case is on 

 account of its effects as a mulching. I am satisfied that in dry seasons, if we 

 only throw over something that will keep the scorching sun from the roots, 

 immediately after taking off the crop of grass, it will do as much good as a 

 light dressing of manure." 



John C. Blanchard, Searsport. 



" I do not practice top-dressing to great extent at present, although I have 

 faith in its economy as well as efficacy, where one gets a chance to try it on. 

 Liquid manure, or finely pulverized compost, in the spring, is undoubtedly 

 the best ; but I have received great benefit from a single application of clayey 

 mud, the cleanings of a small pond. The land was of a gravelly nature, and 

 the quantity hauled on to it, in the fall of 1853, was not oyer five cords to 

 the acre. Its effects are still very marked." ~ 



J F. Anderson, South Windham. 



