ESSEX SOCIETY. 25 



som ploughed it in, taking due care to cover it well ; sowed with 

 winter rye. The crop, I think, did'not exceed eighteen bushels. 

 My impression is, this exceeded, a very little, the crop produced 

 on that part where I did not plough in a green crop. Believing 

 the returns did not remunerate for the labor bestowed, I have 

 discontinued the practice of raising rye in this way. 



As far as I can learn, the practice of ploughing in green crops 

 is not attended to by the farmers in my neighborhood. 



With great esteem, I am, &c, 



HENRY OSGOOD. 

 To Rev. E. M. Stone. 



Gkain Crops. 



There were two entries for premium on Indian Corn — one by 

 John Woodbury, of Lynn. The quantity raised by him on 

 little more than an acre, is 76 \ bushels. The quantity to enti- 

 tle the claimant to a premium, is limited by the trustees to not 

 less than 80 bushels to the acre ; therefore, the committee do not 

 consider this entry as coming within the rule for a premium. 



The other entry was by Moses Pettingill, of Topsfield. It 

 appears, by the certificate accompanying the entry, that he raised 

 88 bushels on an acre. There does not appear to be any thing 

 out of the ordinary mode of cultivation, save the keeping of the 

 surface of the ground flat, and sowing grass-seed at the last hoe- 

 ing. The corn crop was not probably affected in any way by 

 sowing the grass-seed. Whether this mode of seeding down 

 ground to grass is preferable to any other, the committee are 

 not prepared to say. Leaving the surface flat is probably pref- 

 erable to drawing up the earth high around the corn. 



The roots of the corn running off from the stalk, will be bet- 

 ter secured from drought, and will find more nourishment from 

 the manure in the soil, if left fiat, than if that manure and mould 

 are piled up around the stalk. The roots, to cover themselves, 

 are forced deep between the hills into the sub-soil, where no ma- 

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