166 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



in some way, many farms must inevitably be abandoned by their 

 present occupants. 



You will, I know, pardon this digression. Returning to the 

 subject immediately in hand, I will now state as briefly as I can, 

 what has been the general management of my farm. 



One of my first concerns has been to increase the means of 

 fertilizing the farm. For this purpose, I have caused nearly the 

 whole of my pasture ground in the homestead to be ploughed, 

 and put, in different portions, under one, two and sometimes 

 three years cultivation. It consists of about twenty-eight acres 

 of high, plain land. Several acres of it had been just laid down 

 when I came here, ujjon which the expected crop of grass was 

 almost entirely lost. Part of these acres were made to yield a 

 handsome growth of white clover, by the application of plaster, 

 at the rate of a bushel per acre. I have since used plaster and 

 salt upon the same land, — in the proportion of one part salt, 

 and three parts plaster, — applying the same quantity per acre, 

 with still better results. The remainder of this lot, — about an 

 acre, — was ploughed, manured moderately, and planted with 

 corn for green fodder, and the crop was very large. Other por- 

 tions of the pasture have been cultivated and planted with corn 

 and potatoes, followed with spring wheat, or winter rye and 

 grass seed. One part, where the soil is lightest, was simply 

 ploughed, rolled and harrowed, and sown with rye and grass 

 seed in the fall. After the seed had started, plaster and ashes 

 were spread, at the rate of six bushels, nearly equal parts, per 

 acre. The grain grew well, and in the spring the ground was 

 harrowed with a light harrow, and rolled again. The result of 

 this experiment was satisfactory. I have continued to spread 

 ashes, or plaster and salt, or a mixture of both, on pasture 

 ground, up to this time ; and I am satisfied that the effect fully 

 warrants the annual outlay of expense and trouble. It should 

 be added, that, in laying down a large portion of this land, I 

 liave not failed to sow a quantity of white clover with llhodo 

 Island grass seed. 



As the result of these operations, I am now able to keep a 

 much larger stock of dairy cows than had been kept here before, 

 and of course to enlarge the quantity of manure. 



Next to tlie improvement of pasture land, I have endeavored 

 to increase the relative quantity of English hay to be cut upon 



