34 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



farmer, than the lime is, which he adds to them. Clayey lands 

 are best suited to wheat crops. Hence we infer that clay on 

 light sandy soils would prove an excellent manure for wheat. 

 It is well worth the experiment, and should it prove beneficial, 

 the railroads which pass through clay beds might be advan- 

 tageously used, to convey it to lighter soils in the vicinity of 

 their lines. It would doubtless more permanently benefit such 

 lands than more costly and more perishable manures. 



Rye. On the culture of Rye, the statements of the claim- 

 ants now before ns, are unusually valuable. They come from 

 different parts of the county, and show a difference in the 

 preparation of the land, the quantity of seed sown, and in the 

 product obtained, worthy of careful study and consideration. 

 For more convenient reference we have reduced their results to 

 a tabular form. 



E. Brown, 1 acre, seed H bush. Prod. 48| bush, or 2796| lbs. 



" " " " " " straw 3700 " " " " 



The experiments of Messrs. Page and Tapley, both of Dan- 

 verS; show in a strong light the difference in value of crops of 

 fall and spring-sown grain. These fields were examined by a 

 part of the Committee, before the rye was harvested. The 

 soil of the different fields was very similar, naturally a light 

 gravelly or sandy loam. It would be difficult to say which was 

 best manured or cultivated, and it is decidedly the opinion of 

 the committee, that had Mr. Tapley sown fall instead of spring 

 grain, he would have obtained as large a crop as Mr. Page, who 

 obtained, by cradling too, thirty-nine bushels to the acre, while 

 Mr. Tapley, who reaped his, obtained only 24 1-3. 



The very extraordinary yield of Mr. Brown's acre of land, 

 on Marblehead Neck, indicates that either the sea air or sea 

 shore manures, kelp, &c., are peculiarly suited to this crop. In 

 estimating the value of a crop of rye, the straw is an item of 

 no small importance. Mr. Brown sold the straw of his acre, 

 in Boston, for twenty-eight dollars. 



