100 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



pics a space al)oiit two miles square, all of which is under 

 fence. This area is divided into small farms, owned by 

 men whose forefathers, in the times of the earliest settlers, 

 cultivated the same soil. They are a pains-taking, econom- 

 ical, thrifty race of farmers, who are always sure to reap 

 where they have sown, because they never sow more than 

 they can take good care of. Their crops are not various — 

 almost confined to grass and corn. It is for their cultivation 

 of the latter, I think they deserve special credit. They 

 apply kelp in the fall to land that has been in grass for 

 some years, and plough it under in the spring. The corn 

 is planted in hills three and a half to four feet apart, culti- 

 vated and hoed thoroughly, and the yield varies from forty 

 to seventy bushels per acre. Mr. Truman Holmes seems 

 to enjoy the reputation of generally having the best field 

 of corn. I visited him in September, and saw a fine field, 

 which, it was thought, would yield seventy bushels to the 

 acre. He says about one hundred and twenty horse-loads 

 of kelp must be applied, in order to get seventy bushels to 

 the acre. 



There is a small meadow in the town of Sandwich, in which 

 I have been very much interested this season, having visited 

 it three times. The product of this field is so enormous, that 

 I should hesitate to state it, if I had not, in company with the 

 president of the society, had the account confirmed by various 

 disinterested persons who live in the immediate vicinity, and 

 seem to be well acquainted with the facts of the case. The 

 field is owned by Mr. William E. Boyden, and consists of four 

 acres of low land, adjoining salt marsh, surface drained, and 

 is always kept in the most productive condition by the most 

 liberal application of manure. Mr. Boyden keeps a livery 

 stable, containing, sometimes, fifteen horses, together Avith 

 those of transient customers. All the manure of this stable, 

 for a series of years, has been applied to this meadow. The 

 man who has carted it out told me it generally amounted to 

 about one hundred and twenty-five horse-loads. It must be 

 remembered, this is unmixed manure, from corn-fed animals. 

 The manure is applied, I believe, twice in the season — in 

 November, and just after the first mowing. Of course the 

 crop of hay, after such a dressing, must be large. It is well 



