REPORTS". 



AGRICULTURAL.. 



FIRST DIVISION— SUMMER CROPS. 



Committee. — Thomas Barber of Pittsfleld, T. D. Thatcher of Loe. 



Your Committee, to whom was assigned the duty of awarding 

 the premiums of the Society upon Agricultural products, having 

 attended to those duties, respectfully beg leave to report. 



There were, for Summer Crops, some 180 entries for our ex- 

 amination, found in seventeen towns, extending from the extreme 

 South to the extreme North of the county, and the same from 

 East to West. 



We found, upon our tour in July, the crops in the South part 

 of the county suffering very much from the drouth that prevailed 

 at that time ; but in the Central and Northern portions, showers 

 had been more frequent, and crops were looking much better. 



The Grass Crop, perhaps, did not average more than two-thirds 

 of^acrop in the county. The Wheat Crop, in Berkshire, is 

 small, and your Committee are not of the opinion that it is a pay- 

 ing crop for the farmers, but would by no means discourage any 

 one who has land adapted, from raising it. 



We always expect to find a good crop with our friend, Wm. O. 

 Curtis, and must say we found others that were equally success- 

 ful in the cultivation of Spring Wheat. 



The Rye Crop we found a full average ; one piece of twenty 

 acres fully equal to anything we have ever seen. The Barley 

 crop is becoming a favorite one with many of our farmers, and 

 proves to be a paying one ; especially when sold for the brewery. 

 If a man's conscience is easy, while raising for that purpose, we 



*Pittsfield is understood where the town is not named in giving the award. 



