84 ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



committee recommend that the premiums be given as follows, 



VIZ 



To Leverett Bradley, of Methuen, the first premium of $20 00 

 " Stephen Osborn, of Danvers, the second premium of 15 00 

 " Richard Uodge, of Wenham, the third premium of 10 00 

 " R. A. JNIerriam, of Topsfield, the fourth premium of Col- 

 man's European Agriculture. 



The committee would state, that the land of Dr. Merriam, 

 which was part of a sunken swamp, and part plain meadow, 

 would have stood more prominent, had it not been encountered 

 by powerful competitors. His land was well drained, with 

 good and sufficient ditches ; it seemed as if it had been formerly 

 encumbered with stagnant waters ; and, as it was neither 

 springy, nor surrounded by springs, marginal ditches were not 

 required. His method of merely spreading the mud from the 

 intermediate spaces between ditches, and the expensive mode of 

 spreading summer dung, or even compost, (if coarse gravel or 

 loam could have been obtained,) would not be so highly ap- 

 proved by those who have experienced the good effects of the 

 latter on meadow lands. He yet thinks well of gravelling, and 

 recommends it, with only smoothing the surface. Many good 

 farmers are still of of^inion, that both ploughing, (where it is 

 practicable,) and gravelling, are important. 



The situation of Mr. Bradley's land is in a very gentle swale, 

 extending towards the Merrimack river, with a main ditch, 

 which he has dug wide and deep through the centre, and with 

 cross ditches on either side leading to the same. It is naturally 

 a rich alluvion; but the committee can give Mr. Bradley no 

 credit for the bounties of Nature, yet they cheerfully award to 

 him much credit for the management of the great agricultural 

 enterprise in which he is engaged. Thirty acres, in a body, of 

 well improved meadow land, producing, for several years in 

 succession, two and a half tons to the acre, is seldom seen. 

 Sufficient evidence of this produce we had from one of our 

 committee, who visited it in July, while the crop was standing, 

 and who remarked, that tliis extensive tract of " fine English 

 grass growing, would delight the eyes of the beholder." At 



