14 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



grass earlier than formerly : it is now generally admitted by 

 our most practical farmers, that all kinds of grasses should 

 be cut when they are in flower, or very soon afterwards. 

 We have along our sea-coast several thousand acres of land, 

 known as salt-marshes, which might be made more valuable 

 by judicious ditching and diking. The grasses on these 

 meadows are very apt to be neglected till late in the season, 

 one or two months after they have blossomed and gone to 

 seed; then the hay is comparatively worthless. The most 

 valuable of these, the black-grass (Juncus gerardi), was in 

 blossom this year June 20, and the fox-grass (^Spartina jun- 

 cea), July 20. Bordering on the Parker River in Newbury 

 are about two thousand acres of these marsh-lands which by 

 a dam near the mouth of the river, at the estimated cost of 

 thirty thousand dollars, might be rendered very valuable for 

 growing any of the upland crops. 



Those who have travelled through this county for the 

 past few years must have noticed the very poor condition 

 of many of the roads, especially in the vicinity of Lawrence, 

 and in the interior. The roads in several of the towns in 

 the south-eastern section of the county are excellent, and 

 those who have the care of them deserve much praise. 

 Would it not be well for towns, in choosing surveyors, to 

 select men who know the difference between gravel suitable 

 for roads, and soil adapted to the compost-heap ? 



On some of our farms the fences are in bad condition. 

 Many a man spends more time in driving the cattle from 

 the mowing-lot and cornfield in haytime than he would in 

 making good fences at the proper season. If we would keep 

 our cattle and sheep from being unruly in summer, we must 

 have good fences to start with in the spring. 



The farmer should be temperate in every thing, — in eating 

 and drinking, in sleeping and working; not doing two days' 

 work in one, or overworking his tired body, because he sees 

 so much to do. It is to be hoped that the day will soon 

 come when the use of rum, or even cider, in the harvest-field, 

 or on any other occasion, will be entirely among the things 

 that were ; and if those who possess wealth and culture 

 would set an example in this respect, and abolish from their 

 tables and entertainments all wines and other liquors, and 

 join heart and hand in the good work, how soon might this 



