68 ON TURNING IN CROPS AS A MANURE. 



formly doubt the utility of this process of enriching poor lands, if a 

 dressing of manure is required to produce the green crop, or if, by 

 the process, the lands must lie idle until the succeeding season. They 

 think that unless a green crop can be produced without manure, the 

 high cost of that article will render this system of renovation too ex- 

 pensive. From all I can learn, however, I incline to the opinion, that 

 the green crop system will be found useful for lands on which plaster 

 can be successfully used in the place of manure. For other soils, it 

 may not answer. More experiments Avill furnish a surer basis of de- 

 cision. These, on a small scale, I trust will be made" by the farmers 

 of Essex County, 



As no statements of experiment were handed in at our late ann- 

 versary, I found myself at the close of that unusually interesting 

 day, entirely in the dark as to the doings and opinions of prac- 

 tical farmers touching the matter of green crops ; and unwilling to 

 make that fact the chief or only matter of my report, I requested 

 my colleagues. Dr. Nichols, of Danvers, and Henry Osgood Esq., of 

 Andover, to furnish me with their views on the subject. With this 

 request, they have kindly complied, and I take great pleasure in 

 transmitting for publication in the Society's Transactions, the experi- 

 ments and opinions of those gentlemen. 



Respectfully submitted, 



EDWm M. STONE, Chairman. 



Beverly, October 25th, 1847. 



Danvers, Oct. 15, 1847. 



Dear Sir : — On the subject of turning in green or drij crops to 

 fertilize tillage lands, I have a few facts to state, and an opinion to 

 express : 



1st. I once had as much corn fodder, — that is, as many corn 

 stalks, as would grow without manure, — at least five or six tons to 

 the acre, carefully cut and covered by the soil in the month of Sep- 

 tember, and the result was, no benefit to the land, the loss of the 

 crop ploughed in, and half the crop of corn planted thereon the suc- 

 ceeding year ! 



