54 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



by about three thousand dollars. At the time of purchase it 

 would not have been possible to have more than paid the 

 taxes from the income derived thereof, the taxes necessarily 

 being higher than on farms farther from the city ; but I do 

 expect hereafter to get a good percentage on the money 

 paid for betterments, and until those betterments are com- 

 pleted. 



It will be seen, by the amount of land that I have culti- 

 vated since 1874, that a large quantity of manure must have 

 been used; but the method adopted is somewhat different 

 from that generally used by farmers of the present time. I 

 use on strong lands barn and stable manure, and on light 

 land chemical manure. In the use of these chemicals I put 

 on the quantity of plant-food that the crops will take up 

 each year, and replenish where needed in the spring. When 

 barn and stable manure is used, I do not intend to use less 

 than seven cords per acre ; nor do I intend to keep land up 

 more than one year, if cultivator and harrow will bring it to 

 a fair condition to seed down. I have not yet turned over 

 any sod that I have laid down, and shall not so long as the 

 roots are strong, and not crowded by their own number. I 

 top-dress the last of April, with a formula of nitrate of soda, 

 muriate of potash and superphosphate, costing seven dol- 

 lars per acre. In my judgment, there is a change taking 

 place in New-England farming ; and he who lives forty years 

 longer will see the same farms produce fourfold more than at 

 the present time, and all derived from under-draining and 

 the use of chemical manures. 



WORCESTER WEST. 



[From the Report of the Committee.] 



Farming at the present time seems to be more popular 

 than formerly, although prices of farm-produce are now 

 much lower than they have been for many years, and taxes 

 are high. But when we see and know the condition and 

 prospects of the merchant, manufacturer, and mechanic, it 

 makes us, as farmers, contented with our business. To be 

 a farmer, and get a scanty living for himself and fiimily, for 



