FARMS. 143 



eleven acres in wood. Some portions have been recently 

 reclaimed. The attempts to enrich my light, sandy soil, proved 

 failures and worse than failures — mere robbery of the more val- 

 uable parts of the farm — until 1855. I then applied to three 

 acres a tliousand pounds of guano, and harvested a crop of 

 more than a hundred bushels of corn, which was worth more 

 tlian the land could have been sold for in the spring. I have 

 made experiments in raising broomcorn, without the use of 

 manure from the farm, by substituting phosphates. I succeeded, 

 the past year, in getting a fair crop, with only one hundred 

 pounds to the acre applied in the hill ; but twice that quantity 

 might bo better. My theory is, that the stalks, which are 

 ploughed in, and the phosphate, will restore all that the crop 

 has taken from the land. If our valley farmers can raise broom- 

 corn with phosphate, and good crops of Indian corn and other 

 grains on light, sandy soils, with guano, their grass lands can 

 have the benefit of ail their home made manures. 



For a more particular description of my farm, I refer to my 

 statement published in Secretary Flint's " Agriculture of Massa- 

 chusetts," for 1854, pp. 40-45 ; also to the Transactions of the 

 Hampshire Society for the same year. 



HAMPDEN. 



From the Report of the Directors on Farms. 



In presenting a statement of our doings, and of the affairs of 

 the society, it affords us much pleasure to notice the greatly 

 increased interest of the present over that of any former year. 

 Never, since the formation of the society, has there been so large 

 a number of new members added to the list, as the present year. 



A beautiful and valuable lot has been purchased in a very 

 desirable location, for the use of the society, and we believe to 

 the entire satisfaction of its members. 



Another item of interest and improvement is the unusual 

 number of farms entered to compete for the premiums offered 

 by the society. During the eleven preceding years, since the 

 formation of the society, only four farms have been offered for 

 premiums ; but the present year, we have nine entries. At the 

 last annual meeting, a new feature was instituted in this depart- 



