FARMS. 135 



notice. But I shall deviate from the general rule, knowing by 

 experience and observation, that small farms make the largest 

 relative dividend. In conformity with these views, I submit a 

 sketch of my agricultural and horticultural operations the past 

 season. My farm contains eighteen acres, lying in the Connec- 

 ticut River Yalley. 



In the year 1830, I commenced on three-fourths of an acre, 

 being a part of the original home lot of my father, consisting of 

 one acre. In the year 1837, I bought three acres, a lot adjoin- 

 ing my own. This lot had been cultivated for years, and had 

 not been ploughed for more than fifty years. It Avas in good 

 condition, having had a top-dressing of manure about every 

 year since my remembrance. The lot was ploughed the fall 

 previous, and planted to corn and potatoes the following spring. 

 The potatoes were very good ; the corn proved a failure, on 

 account of an early frost, but had as heavy a growth of stalks and 

 green corn as I ever saw. This lot I have cultivated for vege- 

 tables for the Chicopee market, from that time to the present. 

 I bought one other lot, adjoining this, consisting of four acres or 

 more. This was in a bad condition for cultivation, being very 

 uneven, and a portion of it swale grass ; but I went to work and 

 cleared it of its worthless apple trees, and spending over §<-10 in 

 grading and levelling, I soon brought the lot in shape to work 

 to good advantage. At the }5resent time, this lot is down to 

 grass, the remahider I cultivate to corn and potatoes. These 

 constitute my home lot. I have on these lots eighty-five apple 

 trees, tliat I have set from year to year, many of them being in 

 good condition ; also a good supply of pears, plums and cher- 

 ries. This year has been unfavorable for apples. 



I have another lot about one-fourth of a mile east, which I pur- 

 chased at two different times, — one in the year 1843, containing 

 four acres and fifty rods. This lot was in a very bad state, cov- 

 ered with alders, briers, and a heavy coat of moss. I went to 

 work and cleared off the lirush, <fcc., and ploughed" it about 

 eight inches deep, and manured from year to year, and in course 

 of a few years, I raised from this ground over fifty bushels of corn 

 to the acre ; have cultivated this land to corn, potatoes, oats and 

 grass to the present time. This year being unfavorable, the 

 crop was poor. The potatoes were good. 



The other lot adjoining I purchased a few years after, con- 



