PLYMOUTH SOCIETY. 105 



The premium of $6 for the best crop of potatoes is awarded 

 to Dexter Pratt, of East Bridgewater, who raised 320 bushels 

 on an acre. Leonard Hill gave a statement, in which he re- 

 ported a larger crop, but had not complied with the rules ; to 

 him is awarded Colman's Report. The season was unfavorable 

 for potatoes ; the malady which prevailed to some extent in the 

 county last year has increased, and, in some sections, worms 

 have eaten nearly half the crop. Against the ravages of worms 

 we can suggest no certain preventives ; a good precaution would 

 be to guard against allowing manure to come in contact with 

 the seed potatoes. The causes or preventives of the disease in 

 potatoes are not yet satisfactorily investigated. As far as expe- 

 riments have been made, the results encourage the continued 

 application of lime, plaster and salt. We have witnessed no 

 instance where either of these substances had been applied in 

 small quantities, that many of the potatoes were defective. 

 One experiment made by me seems to prove that the disease is 

 not propagated through the seed. The last spring, a piece of 

 land was planted altogether with defective potatoes, some of 

 them half decayed, some two thirds, and a number entirely 

 decayed, so that they could not vegetate, were cast into the 

 hills with the others. On digging this fall, no defect was dis- 

 covered in the new crop, the potatoes have been in the cellar 

 a number of weeks, and remain, apparently, entirely sound. 



Respectfully submitted, 



MORRILL ALLEN. 



Bridgewater, Nov. 12, 1845. 



Statement of Joseph Kingman. 



The piece of land on which I have put in a claim to the pre- 

 mium offered by the trustees of the P. C. A. Society, for the 

 largest quantity of land which shall be in the best state of 

 preparation for English mowing, Sept. 1st, 1845, which was 

 fresh meadow or swamp land, June 1st, 1844, may be called 

 meadow pasture, the soil or muck varying from six to fifteen 

 inches deep, resting on a hard pan of clayey gravel ; part of the 

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