FARMS. 163 



different treatment to reclaim it, and, in place of the encircling 

 " catch-water ditches," previously described, it was so thorough- 

 ly under-drained as to take off its own spring water. At the 

 time of the committee's visit this piece was covered with a heavy 

 growth of oats and of wheat (after a crop of corn, sixty bushels 

 to the acre), which had been sown with grass-seed, and top- 

 dressed with ashes and bone dust. Here was a judicious employ- 

 ment of capital, by which a comparatively barren, wet pasture 

 had been converted into a level, dry, fertile field. 



The dry uplands of the " Appleton Farm " are in the main 

 treated as similar land on other New England farms is treated. 

 The committee saw ten acres in corn, three in potatoes, and two 

 in ruta-bagas, with say half an acre each of mangel wurtzels, 

 and carrots and cabbages — all of which it is intended shall be 

 consumed on the farm. These crops all looked well-, and were 

 free from weeds. 



Upon some pieces of light upland, far from the barn, Mr. 

 Appleton has tried the plan of top-dressing with " commercial 

 manures," but the results have not been satisfactory, and do not 

 indicate that such treatment is profitable. He is now trying 

 another plan, viz, : He ploughed up, two years ago, a piece of light 

 plains, manured it, planted it with corn in the usual way, and 

 afterwards laid it down to grass. This grass was not mowed, 

 but left for sheep to feed upon, to see if, with the fair start of 

 feed which this treatment would afford the sheep, they would 

 improve the land, while they fed themselves. He intends, after 

 three or four years of this feeding, to turn under the sod, and 

 to plant corn and ruta-bagas without manure. We shall see 

 with what results. 



On this farm two distinct and very different breeds of cattle 

 are now kept, viz.: The delicate and beautiful Jerseys, and the 

 rugged and hardy Kerries, of the relative profitableness of 

 which for New England farmers Mr. Appleton has no doubts. 

 In his opinion, the Kerries, considered only as milch cows, will 

 produce one-fifth more milk in a year than the Jerseys ; but, on 

 the other hand, he frankly admits that the Kerries are very 

 slow to mature, and that their calves are not more than half 

 the weight they should be when they are of the age for the 

 butcher. 



After the 1st of July Mr. Appleton keeps his fourteen cows at 



