54 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



free or slow growers, and early or tardy bearers ; but this state- 

 ment lias already been extended to as great length as is desira- 

 ble. I will only add, that the pleasure which I have derived in 

 their cultivation and progress, in such leisure as I could com- 

 mand from other duties, and the advantage received to health, 

 impaired by too close and constant confinement to a sedentary 

 life, has more than repaid any labor bestowed. 



MANURES. 



ESSEX. 

 TURNING IN CROPS. 



The committee on turning in crops as a manure respectfully 

 report, that there were no entries for the premiums offered, it 

 being the usual experience of the society, showing that there is 

 but little interest or experiment upon the subject in the county. 

 Hoping to induce some experiments in future, your committee 

 would mention some results which have come under their 

 observation. 



Mr. A. Orne, of Marblehead, in April of 1864, spread upon a 

 lot of run-out grass land a heavy dressing of manure, which 

 caused a rapid and luxuriant growth of grass. On the 6tli of 

 June, the whole was ploughed under, and the lot planted with 

 various garden vegetables ; but no manure was used in the hill. 

 The green crop produced a rapid decomposition of the sod ; the 

 land was very mellow and friable during the season, producing 

 very abundantly of the several crops planted, — much more so 

 than an adjoining lot, which was broken up earlier, before the 

 grass had grown. 



We wovild especially refer to the very satisfactory results of 

 Daniel Buxton's experiment, published in the Transactions of 

 the Society for 1850. His statement is, that a piece of land, to 

 which little dressing was applied, except a crop of oats ploughed 

 in the previous autumn, produced 700 bushels of onions per 

 :acre. 



The chairman would also refer to his own experience ; having 

 •on one occasion sowed oats early in the spring, and on the 10th 



