224 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



The following is the Report of the committee on 



I M P 11 O V E M E N T S : 



The committee on permanent improvements, in pursuance of the 

 duty assigned them, visited the farm at Westborough, in March last, 

 and after a careful examination of the premises, and consultation with 

 Mr. White, the farmer, in relation to the most urgent wants pertain- 

 ing to improvements, farm arrangements, &c., concluded that the 

 interests of the State, and the objects of the Board, rendered it expe- 

 dient that certain improvements should be made ; accordingly a plan 

 embracing the various improvements contemplated by your com- 

 mittee, with instructions to the farmer for conducting the same, Avas 

 submitted to the Board at their regular meeting in April last, and 

 approved. Operations were immediately after commenced, and prose- 

 cuted during the past season at times and intervals when other work 

 on the farm was less pressing, with the following results : — 



Many hundred tons of stones and large boulders that had been pre- 

 viouslv dug, and blasted out, and which completely covered a large 

 space of the surface in front of the farm house, have been hauled off, 

 and such as were suitable, deposited near the piggerj^, to be used for 

 a cellar wall under the same ; the small stones were taken to the 

 garden and used for filling underneath the walks, and a large quantity 

 were deposited near the north shore of the pond, where if not wanted 

 for other purposes, they can conveniently be used for building out a 

 pier a short distance into the pond. 



On the 1st of January, 1838, Mr. White reports, " that by the 

 removal of the stones the lands in front of the farm house, although 

 not entirely completed are still rendered beautiful when compared 

 with their former condition. A fine field of winter-rye is now grow- 

 ing Avhere one year ago nothing but rocks were visible. This has 

 been accomplished at a cost, including the wages paid for labor of 

 the boys, of $248.25. 



The decayed and worthless fruit trees which stood on the grounds 

 near the farm house, and north of the barn, have been dug up and 

 hauled to the steam-mill for fuel. About half of the wood lot west 

 of the institution has been trimmed and the underbrush removed. 

 To render the work more complete, as far as it has progressed, many 

 more of the small and stinted undcr-growth of trees should be taken 

 out. When the whole lot shall have been properly finished, its 

 appearance as a grove will not only be greatly improved, but it will 

 afibrd excellent facilities for gathering many cords of leaves every 

 autumn, which can be used for litter at the barn and piggery, and 

 thus converted into manure. 



