822 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



easily l)e made to perform an important service. If the seeds 

 of the pitch pine, the red cedar, the Larch, or some of the 

 valuable oaks were placed at the right season, an inch or less 

 beneath the surface of the soil, they would spring up under its 

 shade and bo protected by it from sun and wind until they 

 were large enough to need no further protection, after which 

 it might be grubbed up or left to die gradually in tlie 

 shade." 



I should think that any part of these plains, cut off and 

 burnt over to destroy the bushes, would yield a handsome crop 

 of rye every two or three years, perhaps annually ; if this could 

 be done, the ashes 'and subsequent rotting of the roots would 

 very much enrich the land. Very handsome rye from a crop 

 of forty-three bushels to the acre was exhibited, showing what 

 can be done. 



Other portions of the Island where the soil is sandy but free 

 from stones, might, I am sure, in the want of farm yard manure, 

 be made to pay good crops by the use of guano and green crops 

 ploughed under. 



There are upon the Island in various places, large beds of 

 muck, peat, vegetable deposit, salt mud, and swamp mud of 

 various qualities, all more or less valuable. Large quantities 

 of kelp, roqk-weed, and sea-weed are thrown upon the beach 

 at some seasons, which furnish materials for compost. On the 

 north side of the Island, fish are taken for the same purpose. 



There is considerable wood yet upon the Island ; that it was 

 formerly heavily wooded is attested not only by tradition, but 

 by remains of submarine forests at Holmes' Hole, and also 

 on the north shore of the western extremity of the Island. 



The land produces good grass, and with manure and cultiva- 

 tion, cereals and roots may be made profitable. 



The poj)ulation is 4,410, or about 130 less than in 1850. 

 The extent of territory is about 55,000 acres, of which not over 

 45,000 are available for any use. Of these about 1,400 acres 

 are annually tilled, about 1,800 are upland mowing, yielding a 

 little over a ton of hay to the acre. About 703 acres of corn 

 are planted, averaging 27 bushels to the acre for Chilmark,and 

 Tisbury, and only 11 for Edgartown. 197 acres are sown to 

 rye, averaging 7 bushels ; 1G8 acres of oats, averaging 18 

 bushels ; and 102 acres of potatoes, averaging 163 bushels for 



