284 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Stone, of Yarmouth, who has bestowed much careful and intel- 

 ligent observation upon the subject of cranberry culture, is of 

 opinion that the rotting of the berry depends upon the character 

 of the vine. Others think that it depends upon the nature of 

 the soil. 



These particular perils, which I have enumerated, are 

 sufficient to show that the cultivation of the cranberry is very 

 hazardous, without a ready and abundant supply of water, and 

 that the crop may even then be lost by causes beyond control. 



For the Committee, 



Geo. A. King. 



This Essay was adopted after taking its second reading in 

 regular course. 



^o" 



Monday, February 4th. 



The Board met at 10 o'clock, A. M., Mr. Stedman in the 

 chair. 



A Report was presented on the 



i 



AGRICULTURE OF WORCESTER SOUTH. 



BY K. S. HUBBARD. 



In making up a report of the condition of agriculture within 

 the limits of the Worcester South Agricultural Society, your 

 Committee would say that attention is not given exclusively to 

 any one branch of agricultural industry, but is made up of 

 those best suited to the more hilly portions of Massachusetts. 



The crop which receives the most attention, and the one from 

 which the farmers of this locality must in some way derive their 

 greatest revenue, is from the grass and hay crop, so that much 

 attention is given to improving the condition of the pasture and 

 mowing lands. It is impossible to improve the condition of 

 pastures, to a great extent, in the same way the cultivated 

 fields are, by ploughing or top-dressing with compost manure. 

 It is too often the case that the pasture land is entirely neglected; 

 left to produce what it may, without even spending one day in 

 a year to remove brush or shrubs that have come up to choke 

 the growth of more useful herbage. 



