FARMS. 101 



Manures. — Probably no section of the State supplies itself 

 with manures from so many sources, as do the farmers of Essex 

 County. The accumulated refuse of our cities, the contents of 

 sand-heaps and muck-beds, the collections in the farm-yard, the 

 marine plants which storms cast upon our shore, and the 

 various concentrated fertilizers are all liberally used. In those 

 towns where the heaviest crops of roots are raised a diligence 

 and care which would astonish even the Japanese farmer, are 

 displayed in collecting fertilizing materials. Notwithstanding 

 all this, there is room for- improvement in the methods by 

 which manures are manufactured, collected and used. Since 

 the extravagant nitrogen theory of Liebig has exploded, we 

 may be sure that the substantial manures of our farm-yards 

 have all the value, which we have been in the habit of attach- 

 ing to them. And we cannot be too attentive to all the pro- 

 cesses of composting and of decomposition, by wliich green 

 manure is passed safely through the work of putrefaction, and 

 rendered useful to the growing plant. If we will protect the 

 manure of our farm-yards, from the wasting influences of sun 

 and rain, we may assure ourselves that we have all that is 

 necessary for the best cultivation of our crops. It furnishes 

 the best pabulum for our corn-crop, and is unequalled in the 

 power which it posesses of rendering land peculiarly adapted 

 to the growing of grass. Let every farmer, then, have a cellar 

 or a manure shed, and he may become independent of all arti- 

 ficial stimulants, and may derive from his farm, all those ele- 

 ments which he requires for the best cultivation of land. 



Geo. B. Loring, Chairman. 



NORFOLK. 



Report of the Supervisory Committee. 



The Supervisory Committee for the Norfolk Agricultural 

 Society, in submitting their report for the year 1863, deem it 

 proper to notice some facts connected with the season which 

 influenced, more or less, agricultural productions. 



The winter of 1862-3 was the most mild that has occiirred 

 for several years. There was but little snow during the winter 

 months ; but soon after the first of March enough fell to make 



