120 ON FARMS. 



mittee was particularly called to a field of winter wheat, which 

 looked finely. They Avere informed that he had cultivated it 

 for some years with good success, and although in his state- 

 ment he says it is his favorite crop, yet he has omitted giv- 

 ing any information in regard to the amount of his crop, or the 

 manner of cultivation. The committee consider his statement 

 very deficient, as he has omitted that which is of the greatest 

 importance, viz. the manner of making and applying manure, 

 and the cultivation and amount of his crops. They recom- 

 mend that he receive the sum of ten dollars. 



Having visited Mr. Poor's farm, the attention of the com- 

 mittee was called to the farm of Josiah Ci'osby, of North An- 

 dover. His land, like Mr. Poor's, is a deep rich soil, rather 

 moist, well adapted to the cultivation of hay, which has been 

 almost his sole crop. He has made considerable improvement. 

 Land which a few years since was covered with bushes, now 

 produces a fine crop of English hay. He observed that he 

 had haaled sand three fourths of a mile, and considered it prof- 

 itable for top dressing. He, as also Mr. Winkley and Mr. Poor, 

 has a cellar under his barn, for the purpose of keeping swine 

 and making manure. 



There seems to be a gradual improvement among a large 

 portion of our farmers, but not so much as their interest re- 

 quires. There is the material on almost every farm, if judici- 

 ously applied, to enrich itself; compost of mud should be us- 

 ed on high warm land, and subsoil on low moist land ; sand 

 should be used on clay, and clay on sand, thus by changing 

 the soil it increases its fertility. But in most cases, too much 

 land is cultivated. It does not necessarily follow that because 

 a man cultivates a large quantity of land, that he is a good 

 farmer. Neither is he the best farmer, in all cases, that grows 

 the largest crops, for although he may raise a large crop, yet 

 the expense may exceed its value, which is not, (in ordinary 

 cases,) good farming. But he is the best farmer who will 

 raise the greatest crop under the same circumstances, with the 

 least expense. JOSEPH HOW, Chairman. 



Salem, Nov. 29, 1850. 



