516 MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



raise, and the social condition of the laborer of the country. 

 It is not true economy for us, in a comparatively new country^ 

 to indulge in the luxuries of English farming ,• to follow the 

 example of some wealthy duke, in a country where capital is 

 abundant, and labor superabundant. We would not be under- 

 stood as attempting to depreciate English husbandry, for we 

 have high respect for the science and skill of English agricul- 

 turists ; but merely to show that it is not, in many respects, 

 adapted to our country ; and that, while studying the works of 

 British writers, and attempting to reduce to practice here a 

 foreign system of agriculture, we need the power of a wise 

 and careful discrimination. 



For the Committee, JOHN DAGGETT. 



Cultivation and Measurement of Crops. 



The committee, understanding that the duties of the commit- 

 tee were not, as their designation would in part imply, to con- 

 sider the best mode of cultivation of crops, but to provide uniform 

 rules for the offering and awarding of premiums in relation to 

 crops, have attended to the duty assigned them as they under- 

 stood it. From all the inquiry the committee have been able 

 to make, they find that there is a great diversity in the practice 

 of the several agricultural societies, as to the information to be 

 afforded by a claimant to entitle himself to a premium, whether 

 for a grain or root crop ; and in most cases allowing the appli- 

 cant to ascertain the quantity in his own manner, having no 

 evidence of his correctness save his own declaration. 



The committee think that the applicants should state the 

 general character of the land in the spring of the previous year, 

 its condition at that time, with a detailed statement of the man- 

 ner of cultivation, quantity and quality of manure, and the 

 products of the previous year. The condition of the land at 

 the commencement of the present year ; and a detailed state- 

 ment of the quantity and quality of manure used the present 

 year, when and how applied ; the mode of cultivation prepara- 

 tory to sowing or planting ; the quantity and quality of seed 

 used ,• time and manner of sowing, weeding, cultivating and 



