lSo7. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



347 



For the New England Farmer. 



PROSPECTS 05" THE SEASON. 



Our cold month of June is now closed. If I do 

 not mistake, it has been coldei* than any month of 

 June within my memory. The vegetable prospects 

 are bright and promising in the general, but not so 

 in particular. Corn is small, feeble and backward. 

 I have seen but little that has a healthy, vigorous 

 aspect. Potatoes look finely, never better. Grass, 

 there is a superalnindance grown, but a warm sun 

 is needed to mature and make it ; otherwise, it will 

 be puffy and unsubstantial. Vines suffered much 

 by the cold of the last winter. Strawberries do not 

 yield half what was expected from them. Cranber- 

 ries, on high land, cultivated, will not yield more 

 than lialf a crop ; they were much disturbed by the 

 winter. This crop needs constant and vigilant at 

 tention to be grown successfully. Mr. N.'s bed, 

 which I saw on Saturday, has too many naked and 

 disturbed spots to look encouraging. He thinks 

 it bids fair to do well another year. Most of owr 

 cultivators wear rather long faces, on account of 

 the depredations on their crops by the operations 

 of insects. Notwithstanding there was a fair bloom 

 upon the trees, there appears to be but little well- 

 formed fruit. Such is the present prospect at 



July 1, 1857. South Uanvers. 



MEETING OF THE BOARD OF 

 AGaiCULTURE. 



The Board of Agriculture held a quarterly meet- 

 ing at the State Farm in Westboro', on the 1st 

 inst. Present, Messrs. Bartlett, of Middlesex 

 North, Brooks, of ihe Worcester Society, Busii- 

 NELL, of the Housatonic, Davis, of the Plymouth, 

 DURFEE, of the Bristol, Felton, of the Worcester 

 South, Field, of the Franklin, Fisher, of the 

 Worcester North, French, of the Norfolk, Grex- 

 NELL, appointed by the Executive, Hubbard, of 

 the Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden, Lewis, of 

 the Middlesex South, Marston, of the Barnstable, 

 Newell, of the Essex, Sweetser, of the Hamp- 

 shire, Tower, of the Berkshire, Weite, of the 

 Worcester West, and Wilder, appointed by the 

 Executive. 



The appearance of the farm is highly gratifying 

 and satisfoctory — the crops all looking exceedingly 

 ■well, except the corn and the Chinese sugar cane, 

 which look very well for this season. Corn, in this 

 section of the Slate, is very small and backward, 

 but as it depends very much on July and August to 

 bring it forward, it is ho])ed that it will recover it- 

 self. 



There are thirty acres of Indian corn this year 

 on the State farm, about fifteen acres of potatoes 

 and other crops, as carrots, onions, turnips, beans, 

 &c., &c., in proportion. The farm has been greatly 

 improved the present season by the addition of new 

 gates, which were greatly needed — smoothing off 

 the land in front of the farm-house, from which 

 several hundred tons of stones were removed, grad- 

 ing down the hill in front of the Institution, and 



other permanent improvements, which add greatly 

 to the attractions of this beautiful farm. 



The Board have applied over seventeen hundred 

 and fifty loads of liquid manures this spring to the 

 various crops, and it is estimated that there are on 

 hand about three thousand more, which will make 

 it unnecessary to purchase fertilizers hereafter, to 

 any extent. This liquid manure is in the new res- 

 ervoir, completed last year, and consists of the 

 wash from the Institution of six hundred and fifty 

 inmates. 



Danford's mowing machine was at work on the 

 farm by Mr. Thompson, the manufacturer, from 

 Greenfield, and cut the grass very well, and appar- 

 ently of easy draught. 



The grass crop is the largest ever known on the 

 farm. The stock is all looking well, and is very 

 creditable to the State. 



Notice being given that the Legislature had 

 passed an act instructing the Board to investigate 

 the subject of the disease of the potato, and report 

 upon the applications made for the State premium 

 previous to the repeal of the act offering it, a com- 

 mittee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Bart- 

 lett, Fisher and Durfee, to examine the whole sub- 

 ject and report thereon to the Board. 



It was voted that each member be requested to* 

 send in to the Secretary, a list of the names and 

 addresses of individuals in the various sections of 

 the State most capable of serving on the commit- 

 tees at the State Show. Delegates were appointed 

 to visit the exhibitions of the County Societies, as 

 follows : 



To the Essex, Dr. Bartlett; Middlesex, Mr. 

 Tower; Middlesex North, Mr. Felton ; Middlesex 

 South, Mr. Grennell ; Worcester, Mr. Davis ; 

 Worcester West, Mr. Field ; Worcester North, Col. 

 Lewis ; Worcester South, Mr. White ; Hampshire, 

 Franklin and Hampden, Mr. Sweetser; Hamp- 

 shire, Mr, Brewer ; Hamjjden East, Dr. Fisher; 

 Berkshire, Gen. Chandler ; Housatonic, Mr. French; 

 Franklin, Col. Newell ; Norfolk, Hon. II. C. Win- 

 throp ; Bristol, Capt. Gardner ; Plymouth, Judge 

 Marston; Barnst;;ble, Mr. Bufjhnell; Nantucket, 

 Dr. Durfee. 



Delegates were also appointed to the Exhibition 

 of the United States Agricultural Society at Louis- 

 ville, Ky., consisting of Messrs. Brooks, Newell, 

 Durfee, Chandler, Lewis and Flint. 



Delegates were appointed to attend the trial of 

 Mowers and Reapers at Syracuse. 



It was voted to give the Committee on Labor 

 authority to consummate the arrangement between" 

 the Board and the Trustees in regard to the labor 

 of the boys. 



At present there are at work on the farm about 

 two hundred boys, who are under the charge of the 

 employees on the farm, and taught so far as prac>» 

 ticable all the branches, of farm labor. 



July 7, 1857. c. L. F, .^, 



