Office rcanorcd to Use ^grionSlnral ^Vare-SIoiisc and Socd Slorc, 

 rVo. »7 IVofth Second »iti'eet. 



THE FARMERS' CABINET, 



DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND RURAL ECONOMY. 



Vol.III.-No. 10.] 



May 15, 1839. 



["Whole No. 5!3. 



ily'THE severe indisposition of the Editor 

 will, it is hoped, be a sufficient apology for 

 the non-appearance of several communications 

 designed for the last and present number of 

 the Cabinet. They will be attended to in 

 due time. 



Second Report of the Agriculture of Slas* 

 sachusctt.'i. 



In our last number we acknowledged the 

 receipt of this interesting and important docu- 

 ment — and we now hasten to lay before our 

 readers copious extracts, which will, no doubt, 

 afford interest and profit to every intelligent 

 farmer who will carefully peruse them. It 

 was our intention to have accompanied the 

 extracts with observations of our own, but in- 

 disposition has prevented the preparation of 

 suitable notices. 



The Rev. Henry Colman, a gentleman of 

 science, cultivated taste, education, and with- 

 al a good practical farmer, is the author of the 

 Report. It was made in conformity witH*<in 

 Act of the Legislature of Massachusetts, by 

 whom Mr. Colman was some time since ap- 

 pointed Commissioner for the Agricultural 

 Survey of the State. This second Report 

 embraces a survey of the county of Berk- 

 shire. 



CROPS. 



The crops in Berkshire are those cultivated 

 in other parts of the state ; and consist of the 

 usual gras.ses, herds grass, red top, and clo- 

 ver. Of grains, Indian corn, wheat, barley, 

 rye, and oats; and of esculent vegetables, 

 potatoes, carrots, ruta baga, mangel wurtzel, 

 and common white turnep. In addition to 

 these, buckwheat is raised to a considerable 

 extent, some small amount of flax, and com- 

 paratively large amounts of teasels. The 



Cab.— Vol. III.— No. 10 297 



cultivation of hops wa-s at one time attended 

 to in some places; but is abandoned on ac- 

 count of the low price. Large amounts of 

 rye have heretofore been used for distillation ; 

 but this is now pursued to a small e.xtent. 



Indian corn, the great grain crop of New 

 England, with the exception of the two cold 

 years, 1836 and 1837, has been always raised 

 in the favorable locations in Berkshire with 

 advantage. In some towns, however, the 

 high prices obtained for wool induced the 

 farmers to abandon entirely the growing of 

 grain for bread, and devote their farms to the 

 sheep husbandry. 



Of corn, large crops have been frequently 

 raised. In one of the hill towns, more than 

 one hundred and ten bushels have been more 

 than once obtained. In these cases a favor- 

 able situation was sfjlected on the southern 

 declivity of a hill, and the best cultivation 

 was employed, the ground having been highly 

 dressed with the spent ashes of a potash estab- 

 lishm^t. 



ROTATION OF CROPS. 



•The usual rotation of crops is corn or pota- 

 toes, in most cases manured ; then oats ; third, 

 crop, wheat or some other grain, with which 

 the land is laid down to grass. The land 

 then commonly remains in grass for two or 

 tliree years, and tiie same process is repeated. 

 Tiiere are cases in which the same crop is 

 pursued, on the same land, two or three years 

 in succfjssion, and without diminution of the 

 crop. These are cases of extraordinary fer- 

 tility or abundant manuring; but it is not a 

 practice greatly prevalent ; nor to be gene- 

 rally commended. 



EXPENSES AND PROFITS OF CROPS. 



I have been anxious to obtain true returns 

 of the actual expenses and profits of crops in 



