50 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



then the Concord ; Creveling about the same as the Hartford. 

 I think the Creveling one of the best grapes grown in the open 

 air. It ripens early and hangs on well. The only objection to 

 it is its rather thin bunches, which it is said will improve as the 

 vines becomes older. Rogers' Nos. 4 and 15 I consider worthy 

 of a thorough trial. I have fruited them for two years and find 

 them first-rate, and they have ripened early. The Allen's Hybrid 

 is another line grape, and if it proves hardy and reliable, no one 

 can afford to be without it. Ours this season were inclined to rot, 

 and it was about the only one that had any appearance of doing 

 so. We also have the Rebecca and Diana. The Rebecca we 

 have fruited for six years ; it has ripened well every season, and 

 it is one of the very best of our grapes. The Diana ripened 

 well this season, but is not as reliable as any of the others above 

 mentioned. 



Our vines are set in a border enclosing about an acre of 

 ground, the border about four feet wide, and before the vines 

 were set out we had the ground trenched from two to three feet 

 deep ; vines set about three to four feet apart ; some of them 

 allowed to have one and some two canes trained to an upright 

 slat-trellis, with the slats about one foot apart, and from six to 

 ten feet high. We prune upon the spur system, cutting back to 

 one and two buds. In the care of our ground we are very par- 

 ticular, never allowing any weeds to grow, and always keeping 

 the ground light. We use common stable manure, spring and 

 fall, giving the land a good top-dressing, and allow it to remain 

 and drench in through the season. 



Cambridgeport, 1866. 



MANUEES. 



ESSEX. 



Report of the Committee. 



The statements which have been submitted to the Committee, 

 and which are appended hereto, relate entirely to artificial 

 manures, and of course confine the attention of the Committee 

 to these fertilizers alone. 



The question of the value of all condensed, artificial and 

 strictly chemical fertilizers, is one which has occupied the atten- 



