HAMPSHIRE SOCIETY. 325 



The small number of entries of these important crops is 

 probably owing, in part, to the fact that this is the first time a 

 premium has been offered on any of them by this society, and 

 in part, to the small number and amount of premiums offered. 

 The committee, however, entertain the hope that the society 

 will continue to stimulate and encourage this branch of agri- 

 culture. It may be doubted whether any premiums paid by 

 agricultural societies do in fact benefit the community more 

 than those offered on crops, to be accompanied by a plain 

 statement describing the manner of raising the crops, so that 

 others may follow the example. 



The premium of $5 for the best acre of potatoes, we have 

 awarded to Mr. James Cowles, of Amherst, whose statement is 

 appended ; as is also that of Mr. W. P. Dickinson, of Hadley, 

 whose experiments, intelligently conducted and clearly stated, 

 seem too valuable to be lost, although we have no piemium at 

 our disposal to award him. The fact mentioned by him of the 

 greater productiveness of potatoes grown from seed brought 

 from a distance, agrees fully with the experiments of some of 

 the committee. 



The premium of $3 for the best quarter acre of carrots has 

 been awarded to Messrs. Nathaniel and Brainard Smith, of 

 Sunderland. 



As the carrot is but little cultivated in this vicinity — though 

 it is evidently growing in favor — and is yet, we believe, to be 

 more correctly valued, and to become an important crop, we 

 have collected a few facts and opinions respecting their pro- 

 ductiveness, the manure used, the comparative cost of their 

 cultivation, and their comparative value as food for animals, 

 from the Transactions of the Agricultural Societies of Massa- 

 chusetts for 1851 : — 



Lyman Mason, of Beverly, on 42 rods of land, manured at 

 the rate of six cords, one-half leached ashes, the other barn 

 manure, raised 260 bushels, being 992 bushels per acre. 



Samuel Warner, of Hampden county, on one-fourth acre, 

 manured with four loads of manure, (kind not stated,) raised 

 237 bushels, or 948 bushels per acre. 



Jonathan Carlisle, also of Hampden county, on one acre of 

 light, sandy land, manured with 5^- cords of compost, raised 

 538 bushels. 



