100 



agreeable to there quest of the (."oininittce, in order to test it^ 

 Aahie upon the ])lain hind on the farm. It was foun(^to be of 

 a A'cry coarse, porous quality, tough in its fibre and of very 

 little value for fertilizing })urposes ; therefore do not urge it>j . 

 further use. 



The grass fields that had been newly laid down or top-dress- 

 ed, were looking very well, Avhile the older grass fields Avere 

 quite feeble in appearance. 



The farm has produced the same quantity of hay this yeiU' as^- 

 last, i. e., thirty-five tons. Four acres of winter onions yield- 

 ed seventy bush. A half acre of onions, very heavily manured,, 

 produced one hundred bush, of very large specimens. Owing' 

 to the drills being double the distance apart that they shouldi 

 have been, — the so^^'ing having been left to an inexperience*! ! 

 man, — the crop Avas but half as much as it would have been un-r ■ 

 der proper direction. This, with another half acre for early- 

 vegetables, composed all the land devoted to hoed crops. 



Mr. Gould's plan now is, to apply the manure principally ta- 

 top dressing for grass. The farm has certainly improved very 

 much in the amount of products, under the terms of the lease^. 

 which Mr. Gould has faithfully performed : but it is believed; 

 that with a different and better (juality of land, very mud*, 

 greater results would have been realized. 



For the C^ommittec — Benj. P. Ware. 



FSSAYS AM) REPORTS. 



The Counnittec of the Essex Agricultural Society on Essa\•^^; 

 Ivcports and Farm ^Vccounts, award for Essays : 



To Francis H. Appleton, of 'W'est l^eabody, for his Essay.- 

 " On Improving Our Society," diploma and $15. 



To Chas. J. Peabody, of Topsfield, for Essay on " Farming 

 as an occupation," second premium of $10. 



To Frank H. Palmer, of Boxford, for Essay on '' Utility otV 

 Birds to Agriculture," third premium of $8.. 



