38 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



ing out. In September, carted on about twelve loads of com- 

 post manure, made nearly in the following manner : — Three- 

 fourths sandy loam ; one-fourth clear manure, (solid and liquid,) 

 from the barn cellar ; then sowed down with about one-half 

 bushel of Herd's grass seed. Its yield was not far from one and 

 a half tons per acre. 



The fourth lot. — The mud of this lot was from one to four 

 feet deep, covered with bushes. First, it was burnt over ; the 

 remaining bushes were cut, then harrowed in the spring, before 

 the frost was out, which killed most of the bushes. In 

 September following, it was spread over with compost manure, 

 and seeded down with grass seed. Its yield was about 1500 

 weight per acre. If sand had been applied, as on the other lots, 

 its yield would probably have been greater. 



Methuen, Oct. 30lh, 1849. 



Jonathan MerriWs Statement. 



The farm which I offer for premium, contains forty acres, 

 divided as follows : — Fifteen acres unimproved, ten acres 

 tillage, eleven acres mowing, and one acre orcharding. The 

 ten acres of tillage are divided as follows : — Six acres to pota- 

 toes, three acres to corn, and one acre to gardening. 



For the last three years, the potato crop has averaged from 

 one hundred and seventy-five to two hundred bushels per acre. 

 The corn crop, during the same time, about sixty-five bushels 

 per acre. The hay crop, also, nearly two tons per acre. 



The most important feature of this farm is, eighteen acres 

 of improved meadow land, and to which, the attention of your 

 committee was particularly called. Improvements were first 

 commenced on this land, about eight years since, and have been 

 made from year to year, till the present ; and now eighteen 

 acres are in a healthy and vigorous state of cultivation. This 

 land was originally in a very rough state, covered with large 

 hassocks, with a growth of bushes and wild grass. The land 

 was first drained by ditching, the peat taken from the ditches 

 meeting the expense. The hassocks, roots, and bushes, were 



