58 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



neglected. Mr. Goodwin enters largely into the cultivation 

 of fruits and vegetables, which find a ready sale in the near 

 cities of Haverhill and Lawrence. His fruit-trees are young, 

 but very thrifty, and his vines give promise of heavy crops 

 in the coming years. There are many hundreds of acres of 

 good pasture land in the county, — land as good as that upon 

 which Mr. Goodwin is at work, — which cau be purchased at 

 about $25 per acre ; and to these neglected acres special 

 attention is called. The Chairman of this Committee pur- 

 chased, a couple of years ago, sixty acres of most excellent 

 land, at a cost of $20 per acre, and this is situated not more 

 than two miles from the city hall in Haverhill, with a popula- 

 tion of 15,000. It is this class of lands, of which there is 

 an abundance, which invites the attention of young men and 

 mechanics who do not find constant employment. It is hoped 

 that the farm committees will have in the coming years many 

 " farms " to inspect, which are now comparatively unpro- 

 ductive and valueless, and that Mr. Goodwin's example will 

 be largely followed. 



Jas. R. Nichols, Chairman. 



Statement of Rufus Goodwin. 



I bought my place, which contains ten acres, in October, 

 1871. I did not go on it myself till April, 1873. Three 

 acres of the land were under a fair state of cultivation ; the 

 remaining seven acres were pasture land, rough and stony, 

 woodland and scattering trees, amounting to 25 cords of 

 wood. 



I have cleared the laud, sinking aud blowing out 200 large 

 stones ; have dug and built 175 rods of stone wall, and put in 

 75 rods of underground drain. I should think I have used 

 40 cords of manure, 75 bushels of salt, and from 6 to 7 

 barrels of superphosphate. I have set out 180 pear-trees, 30 

 apple-trees, 85 peach-trees, 10 quince-trees, 100 gooseberry 

 bushes, 100 currant bushes, 1,000 raspberries, 300 hills rhu- 

 barb, 250 asparagus roots, and 300 grape-vines. 



In 1873, I sold from my place $412.58 worth of produce. 

 In 1874, $708.94 worth. In 1875, $841.58 worth. In July 

 and August of this year, I have sold $229.42 worth. 



