206 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



less land and get more corn. I saw many fields of corn unfit 

 to be harvested on October 15th, planted far apart, stalks large 

 and sparsely set, having only one ear to the stalk, and that 

 with a large kernel, and a great sappy cob which would scarcely 

 ever dry. In several of these fields I observed an occasional 

 chance stalk of small, yellow corn, such as is common in the 

 western part of this State. In every instance the husk was 

 entirely dry and separated, having the golden ear hard enough 

 for the mill, standing boldly out from among the green stalks 

 of the larger kind. The natural suggestion was, that this 

 small, early, prolific corn should be grown, ripening fifteen 

 days at least earlier than the larger kind, planted not four feet 

 apart, but two and a half by three, growing with a low stalk, 

 not liable to be swept by the fierce winds, and yielding from 

 sixty to eighty bushels to the acre, as it does in other counties. 



The only reason for the system pursued seemed to be, that 

 this large white corn had been found there at the settlement of 

 the island, and was supposed on that account to be the best 

 adapted to the climate and soil. 



So far as climate is concerned in vegetation, Nantucket is by 

 far the most favored part of this Commonwealth. In the past 

 year (1858) it had 233 days without frost, from March 23 to 

 November 12, while all other reported parts of the State 

 counted only from 144 to 160 ; the lowest temperature in 

 winter was eight degrees higher than in Worcester, eighteen 

 higher than in Princeton, twenty-five higher than in Franklin 

 County. On the Connecticut River we should feel that we 

 could receive no greater blessing than to have our seasons 

 lengthened to three-quarters of that of Nantucket. 



The violent winds which sweep over the island are an 

 objection to the raising of some crops ; but let attention be paid 

 then to raising crops that are not so exposed, such as grass, the 

 various kinds of roots, and a smaller variety of corn. 



The introduction of the Ayrshire breed of cattle upon the 

 island, where are kept between 700 and 800 milch cows and 

 heifers, is undoubtedly a judicious move. The Ayrshires are 

 great milkers, patient of scanty herbage, hardy, and make beef 

 of a very good quality, when put upon rich pastures or high 

 feed. So few working oxen are used upon the island — about 

 120 yoke of oxen and steers — that it is not essential here to 



