490 AGRICULTUEAL REPORT. 



Munger, a gentleman who has been quite successful in growing hedges, 

 said : 



I first subsoil the gi'ouncT in the fal], as deep as possible, and then plow deeply in the 

 spring, and in every way aim to thoroughly prepare the gronnd. I sort my plants, 

 pntting the best together; then the medium, and so on; make a straight line, and 

 plant with a spade, setting the plants four inches apart ; cultivate well the first year, 

 and only cut enough to equalize the growth. The second year I cut down, cut below 

 the ground into the yellow part of the plant. I do not believe in plushing. I can 

 turn out a hedge in three years which a rabbit'cannot penetrate. I prune every year. 

 Whenever the hedge gets too big or high, cut it down to two feet higli, and it will stop 

 any cattle. Constantly wet ground will kill a hedge. 



In the course of an address delivered before the society on the sub- 

 ject of preparing fruit for market, Mr. U. P. Bennett said : 



The truth can haMly bo too often or too strongly impressed upon the minds of fruit- 

 growers, and especially on those commencing the business, that on nothing does suc- 

 cess so much depend in marketing fruit as on having it in good order. Superior fruits 

 always sell quickest, and often at extravagant prices. Assorting and grading fruit, 

 putting all uniformly fine together, and the inferior and damaged by themselves, sell- 

 ing eacli class on its merits, has always paid me well, and, I have reason to be- 

 lieve, given good satisfaction to tho customers. Many persons who aiipreciate first- 

 class fruit will pay more for that only which is choice and neatly arranged than tho 

 producer can get for both superior and inferior packed and marketed together. My 

 mode is to have each picker carry in her hand two quart baskets, into one putting the 

 large strawberries, and into the other the smaller ones ; and a moment's care in arrang- 

 ing the berries on top, with the stems downward, gives a luscious beauty to this un- 

 surpassable fruit, and compensates in quickness of sales. I think square quart 

 baskets preferable where the market is several hundred miles distant. Raspberries 

 and blackberries, having no stems or hulls, press more closely together, and therefore 

 do better, when sent long distances, if put into square pint baskets. The berries will 

 generally keep better on the vines, or, if well aired, under the packing-shed, than in 

 close cellars or store-rooms in the city. Everywhere " honesty is the best policy," and 

 dealers are by no means slow in learning to discriminate in favor of the brands of 

 honest packers. 



NEVvT HAlilPSHIRE. 



The second annual report of the State Board of Agriculture, for the 

 year 1871 was made by the secretary to the governor on the 1st day of 

 May, 1872. It contains 486 pages, and embraces articles and discussions 

 on the following subjects : ''A continuation of the history of the .State 

 Board of Agriculture, chartered by act of the legislature in 1820," from 

 report of which copious extracts are given ; addresses on the " Produ- 

 cing power of the soil ;" " Eestoratiou of the hay-crop ;" " Grass, and 

 how to produce it;" "The new departure;" " Wheat, and its culture;" 

 " Fruit culture," by Marshall P. Wilder ; "A plea for flowers ;" " The 

 cultivation of vegetables ;" " History and culture of the potato ;" " Eoot- 

 crops ;" " Eotation of crops ;" " Cranberry culture ;" " Breeding and cafe 

 of neat-stock;" "Cattle husbandry;" "Will farming pay?" "How to 

 make the farm pay ;" "Agriculture and manufactures ;" "Our forests;" 

 "Making and repairing roads;" "Laws for farmers;" "Drainage;" 

 "Special manures;" "Personal sketches of eminent agriculturists of 

 the State," &c. In addition to these addresses, which are written es- 

 says, read before the board at its various meetings held during the 

 year, the report contains the list of premiums offered and awarded at 

 the last State fair, and various other matters of special interest to the 

 farmers of the State. 



In his introductory report Mr. James 0. Adams, the secretary, alhides 

 briefly to the unfavorable spring of 1871. Notwithstanding a promise 

 of early seed-time, just as the farmer and gardener were ready to com- 

 mence their field labors, cold winds, freezing nights, cloudy weather, 

 and frequent, but not heavy, rains prevailed, so that less planting was 



