34 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



treating' clover as a mauurial crop in Michigan. He says: "A 

 wheat crop is taken off once in three years, and during the rest of 

 the time the land is occupied with clover. The first year after 

 seeding, this is allowed to grow and go down entirely on the land ; 

 it is neither mown nor pastured. The second year the field is 

 summer fallowed, all the previous dead growth and a fresh growth 

 up to the blossoming stage being plowed under. They raise fine 

 wheat in that way." 



The evident advantages of plowing under clover as a manure for 

 the wheat crop are such as to recommend to every farmer a fair 

 trial of its merits. There is neither complication no.r great expense 

 in the method. It requires nothing but what every farmer has at 

 hand, to test fully the value of green manuring, as a renovator of 

 old and exhausted fields, and their capacity to produce a good 

 yield of wheat. What has been done successfully, whenever and 

 wherever tried, can be done in Maine as well. 



Mr. Moore also offered the following for action by the Board : 



Ordered, That the several Agricultural Societies be required to 

 offer the same premiums for wheat culture, as last year. 



A discussion followed which was participated in by many mem- 

 bers, but of which only a very imperfect report was retained. It 

 appeared that in some counties the crop of wheat during the past 

 year was very good, and greatly larger than it would have been 

 had the premiums not been ofi'ered ; in other counties the crop 

 was not good, and scarcely any greater breadth was sown in con- 

 sequence of the offer of the premiums ; and the conviction was 

 general in such portions of the State that it was easier to raise 

 potatoes enough to pay for the flour required, than to grow wheat. 

 The result was the passage of the following vote : 



" Voted, That the several Agricultural Societies receiving 

 bounty from the State be, and they are hereby directed, to offer in 

 premiums for the encouragement of wheat culture, a sum not less 

 than one-fourth of the amount of bounty so received during the 

 present year (1869), and during the two succeeding years, to wit., 

 in 1870 and 1871. 



"Provided, however, that if the Legislature by statute enactment, 

 provides for a bounty on wheat culture during either of the years 

 herein indicated, then for such year or years the before mentioned 

 requirement upon Agi-icultural Societies shall be null and void." 



The following report made to the Board, at its session a year 

 previous, and (emitted accidentally from the report of its doings 

 for last year, is here given. 



