106 



SILK MANUAL, AND 



mid noting tlie rrsiilts. Tliese are poiists on whicli 

 we want instruction, and can obtain it only in re- 

 peated experiinenls. Books at present jjive hut 

 very little information. In Eiiro[)e |ine trees 

 have long been propagated to some extent from 

 seed, but writers on tbis subject generally recom- 

 inend sowing tlie seed in nursery beds, and trans- 

 I'lantingtbe trees. Pine forests cannot be raised 

 here in such manner without an essential change 

 in our habits of labor. We must raise tfieiii from 

 the first planting, or we shall not easily engage 

 men in the work. We want information concern- 

 ing the best time and manner of planting. Tiie 

 experiment of Mr C. your Committee are not dis- 

 posed to undervalue ; be has proved the pra(;tica- 

 bility of what some have doubted, that promising 

 I)ine forests can be raised from seed aitificialiy 

 sown. The greatest error in the experiment, in 

 our view, was the chuiuc- uf aoil «o<! oWnutJon : vv(i 

 think not improbable that the successor of MrC. 

 will demolish that beautifid grove of pines lor the 

 purpose of cultivating the soil. We f "el author- 

 ized to inibilge such anticipation from tlic state- 

 iTient given of the crop taken the year before the 

 trees were planted. With these impressions we 

 deem it inexpedient to recommend t!ie award of 

 premiums, but hopethe Trustees will notice and re- 

 ward ibe praiseworthy exertions of Mr C. in a gra- 

 tuity of thirty d illars and one volume of the Com- 

 plete Farm(;r. 



We have the satisfaction of staling that a num- 

 ber of gentlemen in the county have entered on 

 experiment in raising forest trees. Several have 

 planted the locust to a considerable extent, but 

 have lost many of them by the severity of the win- 

 ter. We hope this circumstance wi'l not discour- 

 age the planters of the locust or the mulberry 

 tree, far we shall not be likely to experience ,a 

 long succession of winters so unfavorable to young 

 trees as some of the passed. From trials made it 

 appears that locust and mulberry trees require 

 more care and labor in their early growth than for- 

 est trees generally. — We must dress them, some 

 of the ("rst years, with about the same care we do 

 garden plants, to ensure succes.-s. — We l)ciiovo 

 some cidtivafion is necessary in raising a garden 

 of oaks ; there is, however, but one artificial lorest 

 of tbis kind in an advance state, within our knowl- 

 edge, in that, there was some cultivation. Some 

 attempts have been made to propagate forest trees 

 on common lands, without fence; these have 

 proved nearly al)Griive, Irom the ravages of cattle 

 which are snfi'ered to range without limits, and 

 have no more respect for our young trees than rad- 

 ical politicians have for tke doings of their prede- 

 cessors. We have large tracts of land in this 

 county, of no use at present, which would soon 

 become spontaneous forests, if the owners of cat- 

 tle could be j^ersuaded or compelled to keep them 



at home. — Pasturage in common, if it ever proves 

 beneficial to individuals, is a very great scourge 

 in the community; as long as it is suffered, we 

 shall do wisely in giving encouragement to the 

 raising of protected forests. Wood and tind)er are 

 becoming so ituportant articles as will justify very 

 liberal encou^Jigetnent. .^— — 



Four c^'dinis have bcon i-<-gnraiTy entered for 

 builditfg stone wall in the year beginning Sejtem- 

 ber 1st, 1835, and ending September 1st, 1836. 



We recommend the award of the first premi- 

 um of thirty <lollars and one v(^!ume of the (>om- 

 plete Farmer to Mr Nehemiali Howard, of West 

 Bridgewater, who has built 92 rods of good .«5tone, 

 wall and managed his fiirm judiciouslyin other re- 

 spects. The second of 820 and 3 volumes N. E. 

 Far., to Mr Robert Barker, of Pembroke, agent of 

 Mr Job Turner, of Boston, who has built 63 rods 

 nf np«' wmII. and rebuilt 21 rods of old wall. The 

 improvements on this farm as, will appear in the 

 statement have been very great which circumstance 

 induced the Committee to add to the })reniiitnis an 

 unusual number of volumes of the Farmer. 



The third of ten dollars and one volume of Com- 

 plete Farmer, to MrNat!;an Snell, of West Bridge- 

 water, who has built 6.3 rods of wall. 



The fourth claim is in the name of IMr Josiah 

 Hatch, of Pemi)roke, agent of Capt. Josiah Barker 

 of Char!estown ; on that farm 55 rods of vcr} sub- 

 stantial and ornamental wall have been built, 'i he 

 quantitj' in this case being so near an approach to 

 that of successful claimants, and the im[)rovements 

 proceeding on the farm so commendalde; we rec- 

 ommend that a gratuity be given of seven dollars, 

 and one volume Complete Farmer. 



Two claimants only to the premiums offered for 

 manure, have made returns to the Committee. 

 We reco-i:mend that the first premium of* thirty 

 dollars and two volumfs of the N. E. Farmer, be 

 awarded to IMr Philip Brewster, of Hanson, who 

 has made six hundred and seventy six loads. Some 

 of this manure will have no greater influence on 

 plants than many substances which almost every 

 farmer can find treasured in some pond bole, or 

 in a neglected hedge-row on his farm. But the 

 exem|)!ary industry of Mr B. in collecting the ma- 

 terials, his jud.ment in the aj)plicalion of them, in 

 the renovation of s<!veral acres ofgvvami)y land, de- 

 serves much commenrlation. 



We recommend the second iiremiinn of twenty- 

 five dollars and one volume Complete Farmer, be 

 awarded to Cai)t Abram Washburn, of Bridgewa- 

 ter, who has made four hundred and ninetynine 

 loads of rich compost manure. 'J his gentleman 

 enjoys a peculiar privilege in the possession of two 

 cellars under the stables of a public house, where 

 he is able to make compost to a great extent with- 

 out the application of much labor. Notwithstand- 

 ing this privilege and the variety of his avocations, 



