22 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



subduing some very rough and stony ground, which may re- 

 pay him for his labor, if the expense incurred be not too great. 

 It was a question with the committee, whether he would not 

 derive greater profit from his farm, by giving more attention to 

 his field land now under cultivation. It is not always good 

 policy to bestow much labor on subduing very rough ground, 

 when less expense applied to the increasing of the produce of the 

 land already under cultivation might add very much to the in- 

 come of the farm. In consideration of his laborious efforts to 

 bring under cultivation land very stony and rough, your com- 

 mittee recommend that a gratuity be paid him of eight dollars. 

 Your committee recommend an award of the first premium of 

 twenty-five dollars to Christopher How, of Methuen, and the 

 second premium of twenty dollars, to Daniel P. King, of 

 Danvers. 



JOSIAH NEWHALL, 



Chairman. 



Christopher How's Statement. 



The farm that I offer for premium, contains one hundred and 

 seventeen acres ; sixty-two acres of pasturing, and the remain- 

 der mowing and tillage. The soil, a gravelly loam, and most 

 of it was quite stony. I this year had five acres of winter-rye, 

 which yielded 111 bushels ; five acres of oats, 245 bushels ; two 

 and a half acres of corn, 143 bushels ; one and a half acre of po- 

 tatoes, 275 bushels ; hay. I think, about 75 tons. In consequence 

 of the drought, my hay, I think, fell short of my usual crop 

 about 15 tons ; my corn and potatoes were also considerably in- 

 jured by the drought. My crop of apples was also very light. 

 I had only about 30 barrels of winter apples. This season I 

 have kept ten cows, and have made 769 pounds of butter, and 

 348 pounds of cheese. I usually winter from tw'enty to thirty 

 head of cattle, as circumstances seem to require, and sell the 

 remainder of my hay. I usually keep a considerable number 

 of swine, for the purpose of increasing my manure. I usually 

 hire two hands through the farming season, and my son through 

 the year; and about forty dollars for additional help in haying. 



