SECRETARY'S REPORT. 21 



bushels to the acre. Since experiments have been made, and 

 the results laid before the farmers, they have happily become 

 convinced that it is a poverty-smiting business to plant old 

 fields continually without dressing, and many of the poorest 

 fields are now left to grow up into forests." 



It may not be improper here to suggest the inquiry, whether, 

 instead of continuing to cultivate many of our old and worn- 

 out lands, particularly the light lands of Bristol, Barnstable, 

 and Plymouth, at a great outlay of labor which they require, it 

 would not be real economy to turn them to woodland, and 

 bring under cultivation new and stronger lands, now covered 

 with wood. Many such exhausted farms of light soil, and 

 almost entirely unproductive, now disfigure the surface of the 

 State ; while lands directly adjoining, though in the main of the 

 same character, would bear respectable and remunerative crops 

 with far less labor. The mode by which waste lands of this 

 description are converted into woodland, will be alluded to 

 hereafter. 



Indian corn has for some years gradually gained the confi- 

 dence of the farmers of this State, and has come to be consid- 

 ered as, on the whole, the most reliable and profitable crop 

 that can be raised on our soil. 



A practical farmer, of Berkshire, writes as follows : — " Corn 

 is the best grain crop produced by our farmers, and they 

 have become more interested in the cultivation of this crop 

 than any other grain. I should judge that nearly one-half 

 of our soil was a clay loam; on this, we like deep plough- 

 ing, from six to twelve inches, according to the depth of the 

 soil before reaching the hard pan. We consider green sward 

 preferable for corn. If coarse manure is to be used, it is 

 thought best to plough it under, particularly on a clay loam 

 soil. After ploughing, the soil should be well pulverized. 

 Fine manure and compost are used in the hill, and broadcast. 

 No doubt the best policy is to spread all manures, that the 

 strength may not be exhausted by the first crop ; but it is the 

 practice of many of our best farmers to use fertilizers in the 

 hill. This gives the corn an early start and good nursing in 

 its infancy, and is of great advantage. "Wood ashes are well 

 adapted to all kinds of soil; more valuable than they are 



