ON FARMS. 97 



The fourth lot. The mud of this lot was from one to four feet 

 deep, covered with bushes. Ficst it was burnt over ; the remaining 

 bushes were cut, the harrowed in the spring, before the frost was 

 out, which killed most of the bushes. In September following, it 

 was spread over with compost manure, and seeded down with grass- 

 seed. Its yield was about 1500 weight per acre. If sand had been 

 applied, as on the other lots, its yield would probably have been 

 greater. 



J. F. INGALLS. 



Methuen, Oct. 30th, 1849. 



JONATHAN MERRILLS STATEMENT. 



To the Committee on Farms : 



Gentlemen, — The farm examined by your committee, and which 

 I ofler for premium, contains forty acres, divided as follows : Fifteen 

 acres unimproved, ten acres tillage, eleven acres mowing, and one 

 acre orcharding. The ten acres of tillage are divided as follows : 

 six acres to potatoes, three acres to corn, and one acre to gardening. 



For the last three years, the potatoe crop has averaged from 175 

 to 200 bushels per acre. The corn crop, during the same time, 

 about 65 bushels per acre. The hay crop also nearly two tons per 

 acre. 



The most important feature of this farm is, eighteen acres of im- 

 proved meadow land, and to which the attention of your committee 

 was particularly called. Improvements were first commenced on 

 this land about eight years since, and have been made from year to 

 year, till the present ; and now eighteen acres are in a healthy and 

 vigorous state of cultivation. This land was originally in a very 

 rough state, covered with large hassocks, with a growth of bushes 

 and wild grass. The land was first drained by ditching, the peat 

 taken from the ditches meeting the expense. The hassocks, roots 

 and bushes, were then removed, and the ground dug over with the 

 hoe. Most of the upper part of this land, including hassocks, bushes, 

 &c. was burnt fur the benefit of the soil. The expense of this clearing 

 and preparation has been thirty dollars per acre on the average. On 

 some parts of this land there has been a sUght growth of wood. 



