66 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



point ; and although there was a decided improvement in this 

 respect over previous years, yet there is room for still more. 



Not only time, but the depth, fineness of pulverization, and 

 general finish presented by each lot at the conclusion of the 

 work, are to be taken into account. 



On the outside, at the head of each lot, a stake was driven, 

 with a number marked on it plainly, and the men then drevf 

 for the choice of numbers. 



Each lot contained one hundred square feet, and before com- 

 mencing, it was distinctly cut round and marked out. 



The shortest time occupied in performing the work was sixteen 

 minutes, and the longest twenty-four. The recipient of the first 

 premium did not perform his work in the shortest time, but 

 excelled in the above mentioned requisites of good spading. 



A. D. Weld, Chairman. 



MANURES. 



WORCESTER NORTH. 



Statement of Jahez Fisher. 



My experiment in the application of manures was conducted 

 as follows : I divided 1^ acres of ground, consisting of a mod- 

 erately strong loam upon a clay bottom, into five equal parts. 

 Except in the matter of manures all parts of the field were treated 

 precisely alike. The compost mentioned in the table was made 

 from four parts of the clear droppings, solid and liquid, of the 

 barn, with one part of wool waste. This was ploughed in. The 

 guano and plaster were mixed, sown broadcast, and, as were also 

 the phosphates, worked in with the cultivator. Long orange 

 carrot seed, 21 lbs. to the acre, was sown May 26, in drills sev- 

 enteen inches apart. The seed vegetating very unsatisfactorily, 

 the whole piece was resown in the same drills, June 13. The 

 plants came up very thinly, looked small all the season, and 

 ceased growing about the middle of September. This deficiency 

 in growth I am at a loss to account for, unless it is to be attrib- 

 uted to the quality of the seed, for the reason that upon a part 



