32 



Horticultural Premiums. 



Vol. XII. 



Bay-side, the removal of the rich soil on a 

 head-land is important; it acts as a broad 

 though shallow ditch, and discharges much 

 water after heavy falls of rain, while the 

 leads serve to conduct it off without ob- 

 structing cultivation. They are generally 

 about three feet wide and the usual depth 

 of ploughing. 



A little more than twenty years ago the 

 rich deposits of earth found at the heads 

 of creeks began to be hauled out as manure. 

 It appears wonderful that these natural com- 

 post beds should so long have been overlook- 

 ed. They have been used to great extent 

 and with unfailing advantage. 



No marl has been found in the district, 

 except in the neighbourhood of the Royal 

 Oak, on the lands of Major Dawson, Captain 

 Moister and Mr. Townsend, who use it with 

 much success. 



Our waters afford an annual supply of 

 fish-manure in the Skate. They arrive, un- 

 fortunately, at a busy season. Some are 

 taken by farmers who have seines, while 

 others buy of those who make a business of 

 catching them for sale. 



Ashes and guano in a few cases have been 

 imported from Baltimore and applied with 

 satisfactory results. Ashes can be laid down 

 on our shores at a cost of twelve and a half 

 or thirteen and a half cents. An enterpris- 

 ing practical farmer, Mr. Edward Covey, 

 last year purchased and applied no less than 

 5,500 bushels, and this after ascertaining 

 their value from several years' experience. 

 Your Committee consider this a fact of great 

 value. It is difficult to introduce manures 

 which require a direct outlay of money; yet 

 it is obviou:?ly proper, by all reasonable 

 means, to enrich our lands that our labour 

 be not wasted. 



The manner of using sea-ores is various. 

 Some put them in large heaps to be distri- 

 buted at leisure; others dress their cow-pens 

 with them, or drop them in the field to be 

 spread at some distant day. The best way 

 is to double-list* them in at once on corn 

 land to be crossed and planted next spring; 

 thus evaporation is avoided and labour saved. 



Your Committee think it unnecessary to 

 describe the mode of cultivation farther than 

 to remark that it is much more thorough 

 than formerly, and altogether in ridges. Few 

 omit to sow clover-seed ; but little, clover is 

 cut for hay. It is either grazed offer turned 

 in. Plaster of Paris is not used, no benefit 



* In this level country the cultivation is uniformly 

 in narrow ridges, and the backing of four furrowplires 

 together in the furrow between two of the ridges is 

 called " Double-Listing." 



having been found from repeated experi- 

 ments. 



The four-field system, without fallow, is 

 thought to be the best for the improvement 

 of land, a field of clover lay to be added 

 when in sufficient heart to bear the change — 

 making one in corn, two in wheat and one 

 in pasture. This is believed to be the most 

 profitable course of husbandry, and is fol- 

 lowed by the best and most successful farm- 

 ers in the district. The old modes of se- 

 curing the corn crop and fodder still continue. 

 The seeding of wheat commences the first 

 week in October and ends early the next 

 month. Some of those who have no fallow 

 are enabled to house their corn before they 

 begin to seed wheat. 



In conclusion, your Committee, in the ab- 

 sence of records of crops, are under the ne- 

 cessity of resorting to conjecture; and they 

 hope that they will not be deemed extrava- 

 gant when they express the opinion that the 

 products of the Bay-side district have been, 

 within the last twenty or thirty years, quad- 

 rupled. 



All which is respectfully submitted. 

 S. Hambleton, 

 VV. H. Harrison. 



Talbot Co., Md., Feb. 15th, 1847. 



Horticultural Premiums. 



The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society offers at its 

 Autumnal Exhibition, to be held on the 15th, 16th and 

 17th of next month, the following premiums. The 

 usual monthly displays this summer have been no less 

 attractive than last, continuing to offer to the admirer 

 of rare plants a delightful gratification, very much at 

 the expense and trouble of others, and to the lover of 

 fine fruit and vegetables, the temptation of trying his 

 hand to raise them — Ed. 



Grapes (Native). — For the best, named 

 collection to be exhibited, $5. 



For the second best, do. do. $3. 



For the best, six bunches, Isabella, to be 

 exhibited, $3. 



For the second best do. do. do. ^2. 



For the third best do. do. do. SI. 



For the best do. Catawba, do. ^S. 



For the second best do. do. do. $2. 



For the third best do. do. do. $1. 



For the best do. Elsinborough, do. S3. 



For the second best do. do. do. $2. 



For the third best do. do. do. 81. 



For the best do. of another variety, do. $.3. 



For the second best do. do. do. %2. 



For the third best do. do. do. SI- 



Grapes, {Foreign) raised tinder glass. 



For the best, named collection to be exhib- 

 ited, $5. 



For the second best do. do. do. $;3. 



For the best Hamburgh, four bunches to 

 be exliibited, S3. 



For the second best do. do. do, S)2. 



