WORCESTER SOCIETY. 117 



was made. It was such a statement as a farmer should always 

 make. It told the whole story ; it gives the time, as it does the 

 mode, in which the work is done — important particulars, in 

 which the others are deficient. The committee regret that it is 

 not in their power to award a premium to Mr. Dodge for his 

 carrot crop, as his statement was not received within the time 

 prescribed by the rules of the society ; and a fear of establish- 

 ing a precedent, prevents them from recommending that a gra- 

 tuity be given to him: Mr. Dodge was, the last year, a com- 

 petitor for a premium on the carrot crop ; of which he was 

 deprived by his negligence in making his statement in season. 

 The committee, at that, time, thinking that his communication 

 contained valuable information, and as his crop was such as 

 would have entitled him to a premium, if his return had been 

 seasonably made, recommended that a gratuity be given him, 

 which he received. This course should not be continued. He 

 should recollect that a farmer, to insure favorable results, should 

 be prompt in action. 



The committee award to Mr. Earle the second premium of 

 Washington's Letters, and $3 for his crop of carrots. 



W. R. Hooper made an entry of his potato field, but, unfor- 

 tunately for him, during the latter part of September, his pota- 

 toes were attacked by the rot, which compelled him to dig them; 

 and by the loss occasioned by that disease, his expectations of 

 a large crop were disappointed, and he has made no statement 

 of the quantity which he obtained from his acre. The rot has 

 this season been very prevalent in this vicinity. It commenced 

 about the last week in September, and in a few days, a large 

 proportion of the potatoes were found to be diseased. The dis- 

 order was too extensive to be attributed to the effects of insects, 

 or a fungus, but would seem to be occasioned by some atmos- 

 pheric influence. A farmer of this town had a field of the 

 "Carter" potato, of 3| acres, from which he expected to ob- 

 tain not less than 700 bushels. The rot came upon them ; he 

 immediately dug over the ground and secured less than two 

 bushels ! And this great decay all took place in a very few 

 days from the time they appeared to be in a perfectly healthful 

 state. A farmer in Holden, who has lost but very few potatoes, 



