FARMS. 79 



MIDDLESEX. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



The whole luimber of entries for premitims was three ; much 

 less than we expected to find. Sometime before we made our 

 final examination of the different farms, we prepared and sent 

 to each competitor a list of questions to be answered in their 

 statements, which will be found in connection with the same 

 hereto annexed. 



In making our examinations and awards, we started with the 

 idea that to be entitled to a premium, the farm must show con- 

 clusive evidence of permanent and judicious improvements 

 recently made, and at a moderate and reasonable expense, with 

 good and thorough cultivation, neat and tidy appearance about 

 the farm and buildings, serviceable horses, oxen and cows, the 

 carts, wagons and tools in good repair, with proper and reason- 

 able answers to our questions. 



We first proceeded to examine the farm of Mr. Joseph A. 

 Harwood, of Littleton. His farm contains about 150 acres of 

 land, })leasantly located on the road from Littleton to Box- 

 borough. The upland is mostly a strong, rocky soil, well 

 adapted to fruit, of which there is quite a thrifty young orchard 

 just beginning to bear, and an- older orchard now in its prime. 

 The young orchard is thrifty and growing quite fast, but has 

 not been, in the opinion of your committee, very skilfully 

 trimmed — the limbs branching out very much too low ; they 

 are also planted too near each other, some of tlicm being not 

 more than twenty or twenty-five feet apart, and the limbs now 

 nearly touch, although the trees have'only been planted ten years. 



There is also a peach orchard, containing six hundred trees, 

 planted two years ago, in an old worn-oiit pasture, in the 

 following manner: About six furrows were back-furrowed 

 together, and upon these furrows, at a distance apart of about 

 twenty or twenty-five feet, were planted peach trees, and two 

 rows of potatoes. Then, at a distance of twenty-five feet, and 

 parallel to the first row, a second row was prepared and planted 

 in the same manner; and so on, until the whole j)iece was 

 completed. These trees have now a feeble look, and have not 

 grown much the present year, although it has been a favorable 



