142 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



roots of pear-trees have a great aversion to standing water, the 

 field was first drained as was supposed, sufficiently ; but to 

 make a sure thing of it, about one year ago a shaft three feet 

 deep was sunk in the field and stoned in the form of a well, and 

 the movement of the water noticed during the winter and spring 

 following. Now, as the water at the highest point was found to 

 rise only one and a half feet, and to remain at that height not 

 more than forty- eight hours, it is conclusive that pear-trees may 

 be transplanted with safety. As the expense is small it may be 

 a safe criterion for other plants. 



THE PLOUGH. 



Of all implements used upon the farm, the plough stands 

 first and foremost ; yet, strange to say, that, in the majority of 

 cases, its use is not yet appreciated. It is also equally strange 

 that we find so many young men -at the present day so totally 

 inefficient in this work. If a farmer has a field that requires 

 anything above and beyond mere superficial ploughing, he is 

 himself obliged to take the plough into his own hands, or call 

 upon some middle-aged or old man to perform the task, other- 

 wise be satisfied with very inefficient ploughing. It has been 

 truthfully said tliat it requires more mechanical skill and 

 ingenuity to govern, gauge and give proper draft to the plough, 

 than it does for the mechanic to build one. And all this must 

 be acquired from practice and observation, and taking an inter- 

 est in the work ; and to this end your Committee would recom- 

 mend a higher rate of premiums, and a greater number ; malce 

 it an inducement for our young men and boys to present 

 themselves in the field and compete for the premiums. 



In preparing a field for a corn crop many plans are suggested 

 and as many adopted, but in the minds of your Committee, 

 who have had some experience and made some experiments, we 

 would adopt the following, not only for the corn crop, but for 

 those crops that follow : turn the sod in August as light as it 

 can possibly be done, say three inches deep, and before the 

 " setting in of winter," turn the furrows back or " tilt them up 

 edgewise " ; by this process the action of frost in winter and the 

 thawing in spring causes the sod to yield easily to the harrow ; 

 the field is now ready for thorough ploughing, which should be 

 done on our best lands with a heavy team equal to that of four 



