FARMS. 29 



committees necessarily become far better acquainted with results 

 than the means through which they were produced. We sup- 

 pose the course adopted by this society, of requiring an account 

 of the expense of cultivation and the products of the farms 

 through a succession of years, as good a means of advancing 

 improvements as can at present be pursued. It might ])e well 

 to present the farmers with an additional monc^ motive, by 

 raising the amount of the premiums offered. 



Morrill Allen, Supervisor. 



BARNSTABLE. 



Statement of S. B. Pliinney. 



Among the inducements offered by the Barnstable County 

 Agricultural Society to tlie farmers of Cape Cod, is a premium 

 for an economical improvement in the cultivation and manage- 

 ment of an entire farm. The undersigned begs leave to submit 

 the following statement, for the consideration of the Executive 

 Committee, of his farm, situated in Barnstable, containing about 

 twenty acres, believing that they will readily discover marks of 

 improvement upon it during the time he has owned it : — 



I came into possession of ten acres of my farm during the year 

 1850, and since that time some ten acres adjacent thereto have 

 been added. At that time six acres were composed of upland 

 which had not, for a great number of years, been cultivated, and 

 was found unproductive and of little value, except as poor pas- 

 ture or grazing for cattle. About three and a half acres was of 

 low, swampy meadow land, filled with bushes and briars, and 

 from which my neighbors Avere in the habit of cutting pea sticks. 

 My first la])or upon the swamp was ditching, in order to drain 

 the water that stood upon it through a consideral}le portion of 

 the winter months. I then cut and burnt off the brush, and 

 during the month of August, 1853, I commenced ploughing 

 with a heavy plough, and turned over between two and three 

 acres. It was ploughed deep, turning under with a strong team 

 all the roots laying thick upon the surface. I then commenced 

 carting in loam or sand, covering it over to the depth of three 

 inches, and harrowed the whole most thoroughly, pulling out 

 all the roots not covered. In September following, I covered 



