148 



The third premium of $8 was given to Mr. Benjamin P. 

 Ware, of Marblehead, for his " Historical Sketch of the Essex 

 Agricultural Society." This paper will be found very interest- 

 ing, by the members of the society, inasmuch as it presents in 

 a concise and methodical form, an account of the society and 

 its operations, from the beginning until the present time. All 

 these facts have never before been brought together, and being 

 now in a form to be preserved in the annual transactions, the 

 committee thought that the paper — although not strictly an 

 essay — was deserving of their award of the third premium. 



In the matter of reports, the committee made the first 

 award of $10 to Mr. 0. S. Butler, for his report upon the com- 

 parative value of crops as food for cattle, etc. This is a dis- 

 cussion of the important question of ensilage, and taken in 

 connection with a paper in the transactions of last year, 

 makes a valuable contribution to the literature of this subject. 



The second premium of $8 was given to Mr. T. C. Thurlow, 

 for the report on underdraining land, which presents an 

 exact statement of personal experience in this business, which, 

 it is unnecessary to say, is one of great practical importance. 



The third premium of $6 was awarded to Mr. Asa T. New- 

 hall, for the report upon root crops. Mr. Newhall makes 

 many interesting statements and useful suggestions, but seems 

 to have written his paper in a hasty way, which has somewhat 

 impaired its value. 



The committee on behalf of the society take the liberty of 

 thanking those wljo have contributed to the interest of the 

 Transactions, by their Essays and Reports, and would solicit 

 additional contributions of this kind another vear. 



Gilbert L. Streeter, Chairman. 



N. M. Hawkes, D. E. Safford, C. P. Vvc&iow.— Committee. 



