MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, 497 



the sandy lands of Plymouth, which are to be moved by 

 different machinery. But still, there are many points of com- 

 mon utility, in both these regions. 



Much has been said of late of the advantages to accrue 

 from subsoil ploughing. There are few, however, who can 

 speak with confidence from their own experience on this point. 

 The late Mr. Phinney, than whom Massachusetts has had few 

 farmers more observing, was very sanguine as to the benefits 

 to accrue from the use of the subsoil plough. Such, too, is the 

 lesson to be learned from English books on agriculture, in 

 which instruction of great utility is to be found. Without pre- 

 suming to speak of it with entire confidence arising from our 

 own experience, we think it worthy of the continued attention 

 of the board, and would commend it to the notice of all our 

 societies, until its advantages or disadvantages are more fully 

 tested by actual experiment. 



At what season of the year, can grass land be turned over to 

 best advantage ? Shall it be done in the spring or in the au- 

 tumn ? A simple inquiry, and one that must present itself to 

 the mind of every one, that has work of the kind to do ; but 

 still an inquiry, on which very few are able to give a satisfac- 

 tory reason for the faith that is in them. 



We have ventured these brief suggestions, as specimens of 

 what may be said on the subject of ploughing. We have for- 

 borne to expand our remarks, through fear of being tedious. 

 If a more uniform system of offering premiums shall be deemed 

 by the board desirable, we will endeavor to prepare it. 



J. W. PROCTOR, Chairman. 



Milch Cows and Dairy Products. 

 In the different agricultural societies in this Commonwealth, 

 there exists a great diversity in the modes of testing the merits 

 of milch cows, and of awarding the premiums for butter and 

 cheese. In some of the societies, the premiums offered for 

 these three distinct objects, are made to point to a common 

 result, viz., the ascertaining of the merits of the cow, or herd 

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