106 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



gress, and the evident ambition of the owner to bring his farm 

 up to the first rank, is, certainly, most commendable. 



The committee, however, in fidelity to the trust reposed in 

 them by the society, are compelled to say, that the farm of Mr. 

 Devereux is wanting in some of the elements which go to make 

 up a first class farm at the present time. The rule requires 

 tlie committee to take into view " the entire management and 

 cultivation, including lands, buildings, fences, orchards, crops, 

 stock, and all other appendages." This rule has hitherto been 

 strictly enforced, and for the committee to depart from it just 

 as the society has nearly doubled its premiums, would be taking 

 a responsibility upon themselves which they are unwilling to 

 assume. 



Having said thus much oflBcially, adverse, indeed, to all that 

 our private and personal feelings would dictate, we proceed to 

 allude to a few of the improvements where we can bestow 

 unqualified praise. 



The onion, corn, carrot, strawberry and potato crops, occupy 

 most of thatportio* of the farm which was cultivated by the former 

 owner. But Mr. Devereux's enterprise and energy have carried 

 him beyond this limit. The part of the farm lying beyond the 

 cultivated portion referred to, is just now in its chrysalis state. 

 The alders and bushes' are yielding, and are made to do pen- 

 ance, and to work restitution for their long riot in the Goshen 

 of the farm. They are piled upon or near the spot where they 

 grew, as is appropriate, oyster shells being intermixed through- 

 out, layer for layer, the whole then covered with earth and 

 burned. The kiln requires about two weeks of burning. The 

 lime and ashes are applied to the soil in various ways, both 

 alone and in compost, both on corn and grass. Mr. Devereux 

 informed the committee that it required about fifty bushels of 

 shells to make five of lime, and the shells are drawn by horse 

 teams from South Danvers and Salem. And yet he is satisfied 

 that it pays. He showed us a field of moss-covered land, one 

 acre of which had had a dressing of three cords of oyster shell 

 lime, and one of stable manure ; and that dressing had changed 

 the hay crop of one-half a ton in 1855, to one of a ton and a 

 half in 1856. The present year has been remarkable for grass, 

 it is true, but the great change must have been produced by 

 the oyster shell lime and his skilful application of it. 



