196 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the hill, and did not pay for the cultivation. It was not 

 owing to carelessness. They were not planted so late as to 

 be worthless ; and the land was properly prepared. No weeds 

 were allowed ; no bugs were allowed : every thing was in 

 tip-top shape. This same gentleman had a piece of worn-out 

 garden ground, upon which he used some of Bradley's Fertil- 

 izer, and there he raised large and fine potatoes. Now, there 

 was something wrong about the putting up of that Stock- 

 bridge Fertilizer. 



I want to say here in explanation, at once, that, from the 

 results of last year, we have perfect faith in Professor Stock- 

 bridge. Those results were sufficient evidence that he has 

 got hold of the right thing for the farmers of Massachusetts. 

 We only want to be sure that we have that, and we do not 

 feel sure. Another reason that leads us to doubt is this : we 

 had a very valuable fertilizer in the Brighton Fertilizer, which 

 we could buy for thirty-five dollars a ton ; and its value by 

 analysis, I think, was fifty-nine dollars per ton. Mr. Bowker 

 bought up that fertilizer, and manufactures Professor Stock- 

 bridge's Fertilizer right there ; and, if the farmers want that 

 fertilizer, they have got to pay forty-five dollars a ton. Was 

 that done in the interests of the agriculture of Massachu- 

 setts? It seems to me not. I hope this question will be 

 answered, — whether this analysis fills the law of Massachu- 

 setts, — and the other question which I have just asked. 



Mr. HuTCHEsrsoisr of Sutton. The farmers of Sutton 

 bought, I think, this present season, something over a thou- 

 sand dollars' worth of Professor Stockbridge's Fertilizers; 

 and, gentlemen, it is no small item for our smaller agricul- 

 tural towns to pay out money like that, unless they get it 

 returned. My friend Stockwell knows more about this sub- 

 ject, perhaps, than I do. Our Farmers' Club was to have 

 met last evening ; and this was to have been the subject of 

 reports from the farmers, in regard to the use of the manures. 

 I have not heard the results so fully as he has. I can say for 

 myself, that I used three different formulas on a small scale 

 for my own satisfaction and my neighbors'. The result of top- 

 dressing was such that I shall continue it, I think. On strong 

 grass-land it was very good indeed, where it was applied 

 according to the directions. The success on corn was only 

 medium. I seeded down a piece with the formula this fall, 



