130 MIDDLESEX SOCIETY. 



In the autumn he seeded down seven acres and a half, carried 

 on forty loads of manure and about two hundred loads of loam, 

 which he collected about the buildings and fences. This year, 

 he cut on an acre and a half, 3,200 pounds of hay ; on another 

 acre, 2,629 pounds ; and on the remainder, about two tons to 

 the acre. He has two acres of corn, two of potatoes, four of 

 oats, and half an acre of beans. Two acres he is preparing to 

 sow with grass this fall. The remainder of the farm is nearly 

 in the state in which he bought it. He built a barn last year, 

 fifty feet by thirty-eight, sixteen feet posts, with a cellar. He 

 has earned more by working out, than he has paid for all his 

 hired labor. 



The committee next visited the farm of E. A. and A. Law- 

 rence, in Pepperell. This farm was examined by a committee 

 in 1847, who then awarded to its industrious proprietors the 

 third premium. The committee are so well satisfied with the 

 improvements since made by these gentlemen, that they have 

 not hesitated to assign to them the second premium. 



The committee proceeded to view the farm of Robert Chaffin 

 of Acton. They were highly gratified with the general ap- 

 pearance of the premises, and especially with the beautiful and 

 substantial walls by which it is enclosed. The barn, also, was 

 an object of particular admiration. It had a spacious cellar, in 

 which, the committee judged, there were at least forty tons of 

 excellent compost, and sufficient room beside for carts, wagons, 

 ploughs, &c. The smaller agricultural implements had an ap- 

 propriate place on the floor of the barn. Every thing about it, 

 indicated the utmost care and neatness. There were also two 

 large piles of compost manure, on other parts of the premises, 

 awaiting the convenient time to be spread on the field. Had 

 it been within the province of the committee, (as in former 

 years) to award the premiums offered for tht largest and best 

 quantity of compost, they would, undoubtedly 'iiave presented 

 it to Mr. Chaffin. Mr. Chaffin received, for his iarm, the soci- 

 ety's second premium, some years ago, and would now have 

 been entitled to the first, had not the committee believed it 

 their duty to dispose of it to another competitor. The details 

 of Mr. Chaffin's agricultural operations are given in his state- 



