30 . BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



having horse trots. My experience is, that we might as well 

 undertake to make water run up hill as to get funds for our 

 societies without the trot. The men who make that (Objection 

 would do nothing to help make them successful if there were no 

 trots. So far as my observation goes, they are men who take no 

 agricultural paper, and would dch nothing under any circum- 

 stances. * 

 Adjourned. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The Board met agreebly to adjournment, and took up the ques- 

 tion of 



Manures. 



Mr. Williams of China. I know of no brancli of farming where 

 there is so much waste, so much neglect among farmers, as in the 

 care and management of manure. I find by experience, that 

 manures, in the first place, ought to be hoiised. I have formerly 

 used a barn cellar, but am now using a shed, from the fact, that I 

 cannot conveniently build or liave a cellar under my barn. The 

 farmer can make his manures one-third more valuable, simply by 

 having a proper place to house it. 



Mr. Wasson of .Ellsworth. It will be remembered by the mem- 

 bers of the Board of Agriculture, that some eight or nine years 

 ago, the Secretary of the Board was directed to give attention 

 during the summer following to the value of refuse fish as a fertil- 

 izer. I well remember that in his report which followed this 

 investigation, I found this remark, which seems to have been 

 prophetic, because we have ascertained its truth, that in our in- 

 edible fish was to be found "a magazine of wealth." I believe 

 we are now realizing that there is, in these shoal water fish, a 

 magazine of wealth, not only by using them as a fertilizer, but 

 also by appropriating them first as a cattle food. 



I speak from some experience in this matter. I am experiment- 

 ing now for the second year in the use of " chum," as we call it, 

 or refuse porgie, as food for sheep and poultry, substituting it for 

 Indian corn and turnips. I have been feeding for several years 

 turnips and corn to my sheep, and my experience thus far is, that, 

 pound for pound, as a provender for sheep, the " chum " is worth 

 as much as corn. 



I see before me a gentleman from Washington county, who has 

 been experimenting for two years or more in feeding it to his 



