96 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



whatever buildings may be required on the farm for sheep, or 

 poultry, or for the protection of carts, wagons, etc., may be 

 connected with it. A multiplication of buildings is always a 

 misfortune to the farmer. It inci'eases the original cost of con- 

 struction, and the expense of keeping in repair. And it must 

 necessarily require more labor, than a single, compact, and 

 simple arrangement, where no great distance is to be traversed, 

 and where every thing is within easy reach. 



A barn of parallelogram shape, forty-two feet wide, and of 

 indefinite length, with entrance at one end, and exit at the 

 other, furnishes the best accommodations, and the best opportu- 

 nity for all sorts of conveniences, of any building that has been 

 brought under our notice. Such a barn as this can be extended, 

 without fear of destroying its convenience. A barn, constructed 

 on this plan, comprises all tliat can be required for managing a 

 farm, with the exception of those matters immediately connected 

 with the house. Such a barn is the most useful and economical 

 building which a farmer can erect, capable as it is of covering 

 his crops, his cattle, and his manure. 



Crops. — The crops in the county, during the last season, 

 have been, in most cases, abundant. Small grain, especially 

 barley, has suffered much ; the seed germinating slowly on 

 account of the spring drought, and the heavy mid-summer rains 

 preventing the berry fj'om reaching full maturity. The barley 

 crop, one most adapted to the soil of this county, has suffered 

 to the extent of one-third of the average yield. Wheat has 

 done well in many places. Winter rye gave a good yield. 

 Corn did remarkably well, considering the wet season ; filling 

 rapidly in the warm days of early autumn. Root crops have 

 been abundant, wherever the seed had a good opportunity to 

 germinate. The size and quality of the mangolds and ruta 

 bagas of this year have seldom been' surpassed. .Late-sown 

 English turnips have reached an unusual size. The onion crop 

 lias begun to regain its former excellence, before the days of the 

 maggot ; and at the present prices, it has been exceedingly 

 remunerative. The failure of the crop of squashes, very gen- 

 erally in the county, constitutes one of the peculiar features in 

 our farming this year ; and in view of this fact, we would 

 call the attention of the society, and of cultivators generally, to 

 the statement of Mr. J. J. H. Gregory, of Marblehead, whose 



