58 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



seen the lofty button-wood tree wither and die without any 

 apparent cause ; the potato, until within a few years one of 

 our surest crops, has now become uncertain, and we know not 

 why. We can only say, that in the blight and decay of our 

 crops, we can see the effects produced, while the cause remains 

 as yet invisible to human eyes, and inscrutable to human sci- 

 ence. If, upon farther trial, it is found that wheat does not 

 blight as it did in former years, we think it will be well for the 

 farmers of this county to turn their attention more to this crop. 



There were two claimants for the premium on Rye, viz. : 

 Adino Page, on the town farm in Danvers, and John S. Hub- 

 bard, on the town farm in Newbury. Mr. Hubbard raised on 

 one acre, thirty-two and a half bushels of rye. Mr. Page raised 

 on four acres, one hundred and thirty-five bushels, making 

 thirty-three and three-fourths bushels per acre. The commit- 

 tee award to Mr. Page the premium of eight dollars. From 

 this experiment, we see that when a liberal dressing of com- 

 post manure is applied to poor and gravelly soils, a good crop 

 of rye may be obtained from them ; it is not so liable to be 

 winter killed on such soils as upon a strong and clayey soil, 

 and it usually ripens before the dry weather affects it. The 

 high price which the straw sells for in some markets, adds 

 much to its value. 



There was but one entry for the premium on Indian Corn, 

 that of Joshua Foss, of Byfield. This crop was not so large 

 as has often been raised in this county, but the committee 

 think if the season had been favorable for the growth of corn, 

 this would have been as large as any to which the society's 

 premium was ever awarded. The committee are of opinion 

 that by planting in rows but one way, and making the hills 

 but a little distance apart the other way, more corn can be 

 raised on an acre than when it is put in rows each way far 

 enough apart to use the cultivator. But before recommending 

 this mode of planting, they would advise all to count the ex- 

 tra cost of hoeing. The committee award to Mr. Foss the pre- 

 mium of eight dollars. 



WM. R. PUTNAM, Chairman. 



