FARMS. 71 



The green fodder was cornstalks, clover and tares, — the latter 

 being tried by way of experiment. The crop was a fair one, 

 and will probably induce a repetition of it, which may settle the 

 question of its adaptability to this purpose in this country. It 

 is highly valued in England as a green forage crop. Water is 

 brought to the barn by the action of a hydraulic ram, and con- 

 veyed to a trough in the manger of the cows. They, therefore, 

 take all their food and drink in the barn, but are turned into a 

 yard four hours a day. They appeared to be in good health 

 and condition. The operation of spaying had been performed 

 on several of the herd, but time enough had not since passed to 

 show its precise results. 



Muck is mixed with the manure of the cows, by placing it 

 daily in a trench in the rear of the platform on which they 

 stand, — the quantity of muck being about equal in bulk to the 

 manure. The mass is deposited in the barn cellar till wanted 

 for use. It is mainly applied as a top-dressing for grass. It is 

 proper to mention, in this connection, that Mr. Quincy had been 

 experimenting with McDougall's Disinfecting Powder, — a sub- 

 stance prepared in England for the purpose of destroying offen- 

 sive odors in stables and other places, and also for the purpose 

 of preventing the escape of fertilizing matter in manures. The 

 cow-stables where the powder had been sprinkled, were entirely 

 free from smell. It may be mentioned, also, as a fact within 

 the knowledge of some of the members of the committee, that 

 this powder has been used with excellent effect in several large 

 livery stables in Boston. Other experiments have also been 

 made with it, which show that it possesses very valuable disin- 

 fecting powers. 



Tlie absence of interior fences, which were abolished upwards 

 of forty years ago, on Mr. Quincy's farm, give it a park-like and 

 agreeable aspect. It is, as has already been remarked, chiefly 

 in grass, most of which is cut with a mowing machine, — 

 Manny's, with "Wood's improvement, being used with good 

 success. 



The committee understood from Mr. Quincy, that in his 

 farming operations he was endeavoring to ascertain whether 

 the business can be made profitable, — whether a gentleman can 

 invest money in it with a reasonable certainty of realizing a 

 fair return. "We are gratified that a gentleman of Mr. Quincy's 



