FARMS. 73 



prepared for it by spreading seven cords of cow mamire to the 

 acre and ploughing it i-n. The hind is warm and rather light. 

 He cultivates carrots to some extent, which are fed to cows ; 

 has sometimes obtained twenty tons to the acre. We passed 

 over some of his grass land, where tlie crop had been cut with 

 Russell's one-horse mowing machine, which Mr. Billings has 

 used for several years. The woi-k was done perfectly, — excelling 

 in neatness, and the amount of the crop obtained, the ordinary 

 work of the scythe. Mr. J3illings has also used the sdme ma- 

 chine, to considerable extent, in cutting salt grass. As it runs on 

 two wheels, the rims of which may bo of any desired width, it 

 readily passes over ground that is quite soft, and on which the 

 horse requires to be shod with rackets ; but with this protection 

 there is no difficulty in cutting the grass on almost any part of 

 the marsh, and it has sometimes been well cut when it was, to 

 some extent, flooded by the tide. 



Hon. Charles Francis Adams, of Quincy, is one of our largest 

 landholders, owning in various farms in this town, about one 

 thousand acres. His residence is that which was his Auhcr's 

 and grandfather's — John Quincy Adams and John Adams, 

 former Presidents of the United States. The birthplace of the 

 latter distinguished gentlemen we shall have occasion to men- 

 tion as we proceed with our remarks. The committee were 

 gratified to see many fine and some rare species of trees, 

 which were planted by the ancestors of the present proprietor, 

 and not less gratified at the sight of others, which under his 

 own direction, have added beauty and interest to the place. 

 Several acres of land, lying on each side of a fine stream of 

 water, have within a few years been converted from an 

 unsightly waste to a beautiful meadow, producing largo crops 

 of good iiay. 



But Mr. Adams's principal farming operations are at Mount 

 Wollaston, under the superintendence of his son. Tiie farm 

 consists of about four hundred acres. It is delightfully situated 

 in regard to the view from it of Boston harbor with its numerous 

 islands, and the surrounding country. It comprises the cele- 

 brated eminence on which Morton, that " pestilent fellow " to 

 the Puritan settlers, established himself. Standing on the 

 top of the " Merry Mount," and casting our eyes over the 

 10 



