120 BOARD OF AQRICULTURE. 



" Top-dressing is not extensively practiced. I ara preparing a heap of soil 

 that has washed into a valley by the side of the road, by mixing refuse lime, 

 that I get at the kilns of Rockland at a nominal price, and shall apply it 

 this fall. I think a top-dressing may be made of washed gravel, chip-dirt, 

 muck, or almost anything, by mixing lime and ashes from the kilns, tliat will 

 pay well for the applicatioa. Top-dressing keeps the surface from binding." 



Henry Hobus, Ilope. 



•' Land proporly drained, that has been several times plowed deep, so that 

 a part of the manure has bjen mixed with the soil to a g'^od depth, may be 

 kept in a state to bear two tons of hay per acre, by judicious top-dressing. 1 

 top-dress, because it is the cheapest method of raising grass. I use a light 

 dressing of manure from the barn, and cover immediately with salt dressing 

 that I procure from the river. I also use plaster on lands that contain much 

 clay." 



Samuel Fo:!D, Newcastle. 



" I have not practiced top-dressing to much extent, owing to a want of 

 dressing. I have used lime, plaster, ashes and stable manure, — the last is best 

 — have it well rotted and made fine before using. I think, from ray own 

 experience, that it is nn excellent method for making cold clayey soils yield 

 the moat profit. I will here state my reasons and method. The hay crop is 

 the most important crop that the Maine farmer can raise. 



Spread on a moderate coat of dressing, plow it and lay it down to grass, so 

 that no water will remain on the surface. Spread on yearly, before the fall 

 rains commence, (as such lands are invariably soft either in tlie fall or early 

 in the spring) two cords of compost manure to the acre, prepared as follows : 

 One bushel of plaster, four bushels of ashes to the cord ; mix thoroughly 

 with old yard dressing, and spread immediately. On certain kinds of cold 

 clayey soils, the grass, after it has been mown a year or two, grows in tufts 

 or bunches, leaving from a quarter to a half of the land bare of grass roots. 

 By putting on the above composition, the ground will keep swarded all over, 

 producing hay over the whole surface." 



Jesse Davis, "Webster. 



" Have never practiced top-dressing for grass, but from observation deem it 

 very important on soil that washes by plowing — particularly on hill sides, and 

 stiff clay soils." 



Joseph Frost, Elliot. 



"Top-dressing is not generally practiced, yet it is profitable. Almost any 

 kind of mud or dirt from the sides of the road, and muck, (when composted,) 

 lime or ashes are really very beneficial to grass land, when applied as a top- 

 dressing. It is confidently asserted that the present hay crop may be increased 

 at least one-third from such means." 



Chester B. Sumner, Appleton. 



