SECRETARY'S REPORT. 53 



13. What is the best way of using swamp muck, and on what soils 

 should it be used ? 



14. What, is the worth of dry swamp muck, per cord, for agricultu- 

 ral purposes ? 



15. What is the average cost of raising and storing one acre of In- 

 dian Corn, Rye, Wheat, Oats, or Barley, in your town, the avei 

 yield per acre, and the price per bushel ? 



16. How many pounds of Indian Meal are equivalent to one hun- 

 dred pounds of good English Hay, as food for stock ? 



17. What is thought to be the value of Apples, cither for flesh or 

 milk, for stock, and the value of Cooked Apples for Swine ? 



18. To what extent have the ravages of worms affected the orchards 

 this season ? 



19. What number of mowing machines have been used in your 

 town, and with what success ? 



20. What is the cost of raising a Horse up to the age of three, 

 four, or five years, and what is the average value at those ages ? 



22. What proportion of the farmers of your town derive their en- 

 tire support from the farm? 



23. Has the number of farmers in your town increased or decreased 

 within the last ten years, and how much ? 



You will greatly oblige me by sending a reply before the first of 

 November. 



Very truly, your obedient servant, 

 CHARLES L. FLINT, 



Secretary of the Board of Agriculture. 



As this was my only means of procuring these important 

 statistics, it was hoped that the farmers would cordially coop- 

 erate with me, and that the returns would be complete from 

 nearly every town to which the circular was sent. It is but 

 justice to say that my expectations have generally been answered. 

 These returns, coming as they do from every section of the 

 Commonwealth, imbody the opinions of the most intelligent 

 portion of the agricultural community upon the most important 

 interests of their occupation, and are second in value only to 

 accurate official statistics. The returns will be found con- 

 densed, and arranged for convenience, in the form of a table, 

 showing the estimated average yield and cost per acre of the 

 staple products of Massachusetts, as follows : — « 



