96 



Reply of William Miller Gardiner^ Farmer to J. L. Little, Esq. 



at Sivampscott, Mass. 



I had about a quarter of an acre planted with sugar Beets, the 

 production per acre would be about 40 tons, the average of 

 each bushel 70 pounds. I have grown them for the last 5 

 years and had better crops each year previous to this. 



I was sorry to hear ray contributions to the fair were not 

 according to the rules. An officer of your society told me it 

 was 6 in number of each kind of vegetable. As for my being 

 an Essex County farmer, I take the entire charge of the farm 

 and garden for J. L. Little, Esq., of Swampscott, Mass. 



Mr. Little has a farm of 100 acres, all told, in Swampscott, 

 farmed on the modern style of farming in which we are very 

 successful. Although neither of us is a member of your 

 Society we were urged by Mr. Ware to exhibit, which we could 

 have done more largely if we had thought of it sooner, and we 

 were not posted at all in quantity required. 



The land I raised the Sugar Beets on was a black muck with 

 a clay bottom the second year from old sod land of 20 years 

 laying sour, until drained. I planted the first week in May 

 with stable manure and Guano, say 6 cords per acre with 1-4 

 ton per acre of Guano. The drills raised on account of low 

 wet land. I have always succeeded best with raised drill sys- 

 tem on low land. I have never failed in getting a good crop of 

 Sugar Beets. 



I have invariably succeeded best with all kinds of vegeta- 

 bles, except perishable seeds, to plant early, close to the sea 

 shore as we are situated. My employer gives very liberal 

 encouragement to farm well, for we let no weeds grow to take 

 the nourishment away from the plants. Weeds, in my estima- 

 tion, are the worst enemy a farmer has to contend with. Allow 

 me to say in conclusion that we mowed 4| tons to the acre on 

 land that grew nothing but wild meadow grass before it was 

 drained, then cropped with vegetables for two successive years, 

 then laid down to grass before the ground froze in the end of 

 November. 



