40 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



roots from meadow land when first reclaimed, as it facili- 

 tates after cultivation. Vegetables have also been raised on 

 this land, with the best success. 



Upon other parts of my farm, I have two hundred and sixty 

 young and thrifty apple trees, grafted with choice fruit. Yield, 

 last year, forty barrrels. 1 have, also, one hundred young 

 peach trees, and one hundred plum and cherry trees. I also 

 raise, yearly, a large quantity of beets, parsnips, cabbages, and 

 other vegetables, both for home use and the market. 



I deem my reclaimed land the most important and profitable 

 part of my farm ; consequently, I have devoted much attention 

 to its cultivation, and for this reason, have given it so much 

 space in this statement. 



Methuen, October, 1849. 



Daniel MerrilVs Statement. 



My farm consists of about one hundred and twenty-five acres. 

 Not far from seventy-five acres of it are covered with wood, 

 mostly of a young growth. About twenty-nine acres of the 

 other, are pasturing, and the remaining twenty-one acres are 

 mowing and tillage. There is quite a variety of soil on the 

 farm, from the poor gravelly knoll to that of meadow land. 

 Q,uite a proportion of the upland has a gravelly subsoil. 



At the time I commenced on the farm, (which was about 

 fourteen years ago,) there were probably from six to eight tons 

 of English hay cut on the farm. At the present time, from 

 eighteen to twenty tons. The meadow, which consists of about 

 four acres, I commenced improving in various ways. On cer- 

 tain parts of it, I took the turf off, and then gravelled and seed- 

 ed down to grass, and so far as I had the the means, top dressed 

 it. Other parts were gravelled without topping. In doing 

 which, I put just enough gravel upon it to kill the grass. Other 

 parts were ploughed, and planted to corn, or potatoes, and after 

 being well subdued, were laid down to grass. 



You may wish to know which method I consider preferable. 

 I think if the meadow be smooth and pretty free from moss, it 



