V'8 



iind {isisiiined to be the average of the entire crop. The crop 

 of Mr. Xoves was in excellent condition for marketing. I can 

 hardly agree with friend Xoyes as to the cost of raising his 

 cro2>. Adding the cost of topping the onions, I cannot make 

 it figure less than one hundred dollars, on the assumption that 

 he used but three cords of manure to the half acre, Avhich I un- 

 derstand is his statement. The great difference between my fig- 

 ures and his is in the cost of cultivation. There are peculiarities 

 worth noting in the management of Mr. Xoyes and ]Mr. Kolfe. 

 Mr. Noves did not plough his land in the spring, and ploughed 

 under nearly all the manure in the fall. ]Mr. Ilolfe harrowed 

 his manure in. Mr. Rolfe's soil Avas, as seen by the commit- 

 tee, a clay loam, quite free from gravel at the surface ; on sucli 

 soils manure could be more safely harrowed in than on lightei- 

 soils, as the moisture they retain helps to rot the manure, and 

 thus the surface is not dried so readily as on gravelly soils, 

 to the detriment, sometimes, of small seed, in their vegetating 

 and in their subsecpient growth. Again, a wet, heavy soil, in 

 earlv spring, manure harrowed in just below the surface, serves 

 to underdrain the laud of superfluous moisture, and thus favor 

 the vegetating and early growth of seed. 



In West Newbury we found ourselves in a community where 

 the art of farming had been handed down from father to son 

 for five and six generations. Back from the farm-house of this 

 generation stand the houses dwelt in by past generations,, there 

 being usuallv three on each liomestead, the relics of antiquity 

 doing service as out-buildings. Three or four generations 

 dwelt under the hospitable roof of ^h. Ivolfc, from the aged 

 grandfather — aged ninety-two, a\ ith all the vigor of three score 

 and ten yet upon him — to the energetic young man just girding 

 himself to walk in the steps of his ancestor, and maintain the 

 honors of his house. ]Mr. Kolfe informed us that tlierehad not 

 been a farm sold in the neighborhood as far back as his mem- 

 ory ran. All honor to Newbury Old Town ! What a wealth 

 of association rises in one's mind as he looks aroimd on these 

 ancient homes. T would sooner li\e in a lon" cabin, sun-ounded 



