ESSEX SOCIETY. 41 



may be as well to cover without topping. But if otherwise, the 

 topping system I think is preferable, especially if it does not 

 take too deep. Ploughing should be resorted to when other 

 crops than grass are desired, or when it is necessary to level 

 without lowering the surface. I usually put on my meadow, a 

 light top dressing each season, generally late in the autumn. 

 As near as I can judge, I cut from two to three tons of hay to 

 the acre, at the first and second time of mowing. 



As I sell my milk, my object is to raise such crops as will in- 

 crease its quantity. Grass and roots, with green corn, are my 

 principal crops with the exception of apples. To the the rais- 

 ing of apples I have given considerable attention. Most of my 

 trees that bore natural fruit, have been grafted, however large 

 they were. By grafting, pruning, scraping, and manuring, my 

 orchard has been much increased in value. 



I am very much in favor of deep ploughing, and manuring 

 highly, even if by so doing we are obliged to cultivate much 

 less land. The little experience I have had in farming, con- 

 vinces me that most farmers pay quite too little attention to the 

 making of manure. 



I had no cellar to my barn until about one year ago ; since 

 which time I think my manure heap has been very much in- 

 creased, especially in value. In making manure, (which has 

 been almost entirely compost,) muck has been used very freely, 

 and I think to great advantage. I have purchased but little 

 manure, with the exception of leached ashes, for some years. 

 Since I have had a cellar under my barn, my fresh manure 

 has been made into compost daily, (Sundays excepted,) and 

 so managed that most of it becomes saturated Avith urine. 

 In laying down my land to grass, it has been done mostly, for 

 a few years, late in the autumn, so that the seed did not 

 vegetate till the next spring. I have had very good success in 

 this way of managing. 



Methuen, Oct. 1849. 



