lY 

 FALL CROPS. 



Fall Crops entered for premium in the 

 i-Iounatonic Ai^ricultural Society, 1876, make the following report of their do- 

 ings. And first, though the hospitality of the farmers and their families of 

 Southern Berkshire is proverbial, yet we wish in this way to render our thanks 

 to those whose cheerful hospitality w^e have enjoyed, not onlj^ from members 

 of the society, bat also from some who, not being members, had no expecta- 

 tion of receiving premiums. The excessively hot and dry weather of the past 

 •season had ripened corn so early, we found very much of it already cut, though 

 we commenced our work immediately after the first of September, the time at 

 which entries were to be made. And we suggest that in future the time for 

 making all entries for fall crops be fixed as early as the fifteenth day of August. 

 We found several who had not left the quantity of their crop required by our 

 regulations, thinking that pieces of a rod square were sufficient. It ought to 

 be so, yet as our neighbors of the Berkshire society found corn growing with- 

 out roots, we will not advise any change in that regulation. From our exami- 

 nation we are unable to suggest any universal plan for applying manure for 

 corn or potatoes. We found many farmers who used phosphate, or a mixture 

 of plaster and ashes in the hills for pot-itoes, with good results. ISTor can we 

 suggest any rule as to the number of hills of corn or potatoes on a rod. In 

 €orn, we found from twenty-two to fifty-four hills on a rod ; the majority was 

 about thirty hills on a rod, or three feet each way. Except in one case, 

 where potatoes were manured in the hill, the heaviest crops were rows three 

 feet apart, and eighteen to twenty inches in the row. The premium offered 

 for the best managed farm, though of small amount, is doing much good in 

 stimulating the farmers to constant improvements, as shown in removing rocks 

 and stumps ; and more especially in the clearing up of the weeds and bushes 

 along the fences, and on the sides of the road. And that the influence of these 

 improvements is felt by others, is shown from the fact of their cleaning up 

 their premises and roadsides. Still there is room for further improvement, 

 which we hope to see continued from year to year ; and one important step 

 will be in keeping the horses and cattle from pasturing on the highways. 



Whole number of entries, 185. Four acres Corn, 20; 1 acre Corn, 44; 

 Sowed Corn, 11; Planted Sweet Corn, 5; Buckwheat, 21; Potatoes, 20; 

 Beans, 9; Sugar Beets, 11; Mangel Wurzel, 6; Carrots, 5; Swedish Turnips, 

 9; English Turnips, 5; Cabbage, 6; Farms, 13. These entries in thirteen 

 towns, extending from Sheffield to Williamstown, We award as follows : 



Best 4 acres Corn, P. M. Shaylor, Lee, $8 00 



2d do., H. L. Smith. Lee, 7 00 



3d do., M. G. Hall, Great Barriugton, C> 00 



4th do.. Orrin Benedict. Pittsfield, 5 00 



Sth do.. J. L. Millard, E^remont, i 00 



6tli do.. G, D. Griffith, She "field, 3 00 



Best '. acre Corn, William O. Curtis, Lenox, 7 00 



'Jd do., M. W. Butler. Lenox. 6 00 



3d do., Hopkins T. Cande, Sheffield, 5 00 



4t.h do., Lucius Little, Sheifield, 4 00 



5th do., .John S. Merrill, Lee, 3 00 



6th do.. Edyar A. Kilborn, Great Barrington, 2 00 



Best acre planted Sweet Corn, William O. Curtis, Lenox, 4 00 



•2d do., James Bullard, Lee. 3 00 



Best }i acre Sowed Corn, .Jame - Bullard, Lee, 5 00 



•2d do., J. Leffiuswell, New Marlboro, 1 00 



3d do., N. J. Smith, Stockbridge, 3 00 



4th do., Levi S. Bailey, Great Barrington, 2 00 



Best acre Bttckwheat, L. M. Joyner, Egremont, 5 00 



2d do., William Stevens. Egremont, 4 00 



3d do., James Dewell, West Stockbridge, 3 00 



4th do., James H. Rowley. Egremont, 2 GO 



5th do., Samuel W. Pixley, Great Barrington, 1 00 



Best acre Potatoes. F. A. Palmer, Stockbridge, 7 00 



2d do., C. B. Benedict, West Stockbridge, 6 CO 



3d do., A. J. Buck, Stockbridge, 5 00 



