220 HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN, AND 



be furnished for the benefit and encouragement of all who take 

 an interest in the subject. 



The following has been presented by John Eden, as his ex- 

 perience with poultry. 1 commenced the spring of the present 

 year with one old hen and nine pullets. In April two of the 

 pullets died, one Porto Rico and one Poland. Up to the 27th 

 of August the remaining eight fowls laid 772 eggs. Four of 

 the hens sat, and hatched forty-seven chickens. This, you 

 will perceive, shows a good return of profits, to say nothing of 

 the pleasure afforded. 



So far as experience has shown, the Shanghae, Cochin Chi- 

 na and Dorking, have proved, all things considered, the best ; 

 size large, flesh white and delicate, lay and rear well, and have 

 all those qualities that make the good housewife chuckle with 

 delight when engaged in the pleasant occupation of taking up 

 their daily discounts. 



The whole number of entries was thirty-one, embracing a 

 total of 160 of the hen family, 15 turkeys, and 46 ducks, all of 

 great excellence. 



J. W. WILSON, Chairman. 



Vegetables. 



The committee have bestowed particular attention to the 

 subject of the potato, but, they are sorry to say, without being 

 enabled to throw any new light upon the disease so malignant- 

 ly prevalent with that staple and important esculent. Expe- 

 rience seems to have proved that gypsum may be very advan- 

 tageously used, at the time of planting, as a preventive ; that 

 early planting is preferable to late ; and that a dry friable or 

 gravelly soil is much more favorable to a healthy product than 

 a wet or heavy one. More than these, the committee do not 

 find to be established as reliable facts. 



In the spring of the present year some potatoes of three dif- 

 ferent kinds were procured from England, and distributed for 

 pultivation among the members of the society. These sorts 



