SECRETARY'S REPORT. 311 



elements and properties that, with skilful culture, are suited not 

 only to the growth of the principal grain and root crops, but to 

 the successful culture of many other articles that have a com- 

 mercial value, such as tobacco, hops, teasles, chiccory, <fec. 



The grass or hay crop is the great staple, and makes greater 

 demands upon the skill and energies of the farmers in prcjjaring 

 their grounds, by a thorough process of draining, and fertilizing 

 of their lands, the kinds and quality of seed used in stocking 

 their grounds, and in clearing their fields of all obstacles and 

 hindrances to the successful operation of the mowing machine, 

 which, with other labor-saving machines, is becoming indispen- 

 sable in securing this valuable crop. The lands more especially 

 adapted to the hay crop, and where it is produced at the least 

 cost, are the alluvial or bottom lands bordering upon the Housa- 

 tonic River and its tributaries, and are found in the towns of 

 Lee, Stockbridge, Great Barringtou, Sheffield and Egremont, in 

 which towns probably a larger amount of hay is annually 

 secured than in any other towns of Southern Berkshire; while 

 other towns. New Marlborough, Sandisfield, Alford, West 

 Stockbridge, Tyringham and Monterey, produce no inconsider- 

 able amount of this valuable crop ; yet, from the new, broken, 

 hilly and uneven condition of these towns, they are better suited 

 to grazing, stock-raising and dairy purposes, for which they are 

 admirably adapted. And it may not be out of place here to say 

 that in the last-named towns there arc annually produced as 

 good butter and cheese, manufactured with as much skill 

 and taste, as can be found anywhere in this Commonwealth. The 

 exhibitions of dairy products at the annual fairs give ample proof, 

 we think, upon this point. However much may be attributable 

 to the climate, the pure air sweeping over these elevated fields, 

 and the never-failing springs gushing out of their slopes and 

 hillsides, act their part with other congenjal agencies and influ- 

 ences in producing a luxuriant growth 'of wliite clover and 

 June grasses, that give to these towns a prominent place in this 

 essential and necessary part of agriculture. 



The corn and other grain crops find a soil more congenial to 

 their growth in the warmer, alluvial lauds and slopes that are 

 found in the towns of Sheffield, Great Barrington, Egremont, 

 Stockbridge and Lee, in which towns there are annually raised, 

 perhaps, more wheat, rye, corn and oats, and to greater per- 



