FARMS. 21 



time my grandfather died, it was purchased by my father at 

 different times, more to keep it in the family than for his own 

 convenience; and as my father's residence was some two miles 

 distant, he was compelled to rent the house to a tenant, and 

 manage the land to the most profit, as was supposed, by sell- 

 ing off the hay and grain, or at least all that was salable, and 

 spending only the poorer quality on the farm. This continued 

 until the spring of 1828, twelve years, and I believe that hay 

 and grain enough had been sold or carried from the farm to 

 pay the original cost. I took the farm as a tenant in 1828, 

 and then and for several years afterwards the barn was not 

 more than half filled with all the hay that could be cut on the 

 farm. From 1828 to 1843 I occupied this farm as a tenant. 

 I spent all the hay and five times as much grain as could be 

 grown on the place during these fifteen years, and still found it 

 up-hill work to improve the condition of the land, much as I 

 was engaged in other business. 



I bought the farm in 1843, and claim to have improved it — 

 first, by under-draining ; secondly, by irrigation ; thirdly, by 

 deep ploughing ; fourthly, by more thorough tillage and better 

 manuring ; and fifthly, by removing a large quantity of surface 

 stones, and old, useless partition stone walls, mostly by sinking 

 or filling into under-drainage ; and lastly, by setting some two 

 hundred and twenty apple, one hundred and thirty-five pear, 

 one hundred quince, several peach, cherry, grape, gooseberry, 

 and other small fruit trees, nearly all of which have been set 

 within the last five years, and have mostly fruited the past 

 season. 



Your society's premium is offered "for the best managed 

 farm, regard being had to the value and extent of its improve- 

 ments and economy in its management in the last five years, 

 a particular account of the expense of which, as far as practi- 

 cable, must be given." 



My farm contains by measurement ninety-three and one- 

 quarter acres thirty-seven rods, divided as follows : ten acres of 

 wood, ten acres of waste or not reclaimed, twenty-two acres of 

 pasture, six acres more for corn, potatoes, and carrots, and the 

 balance in mowing and orcharding. No other lands belonging 

 to mc do or have for the last five years contributed to the 



