89 



is a dark loam. Ploughed in the fall of 1895, and again 

 in the spring of '96. Ploughed about ten inches deep. 



1897. Crop, corn. Manure, horse and vault, about twenty 

 loads to the acre. Ploughed once about ten inches deep. 

 Harrowed and furrowed out to plant in checks. Cost of 

 ploughing and other preparations, about $10. Manure 

 worth on the ground about -f 6 per cord. 300 pounds of 

 Lowell corn fertilizer, dropped in the hill, and a little soil 

 brushed over it before dropping the corn. Fertilizer worth 

 about $4.50 on the ground. The corn was dropped and 

 covered by hand about the last of May. The name of the 

 seed is not known, it is almost all red. I planted 12 qts. 



The piece was cultivated three times lengthwise and 

 three times crosswise, costing about $8. Cut Sept. 26, 

 shocked Sept. 27 and 28. Harvested at odd times from 

 middle to last of October, cost not known. 



The amount of merchantable corn as weighed by Frank 

 W. Abbott was found to be 132.7 bushels. The land on 

 which this corn grew was measured by George A. Rogers 

 and found to be one acre. 



John N. Meserve. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON IMPROVED PAS- 

 TURE AND WASTE LAND. 



The committee on waste land visited Mr. E. C. Little 

 of Merrimac, October 15, 1897, his land being the only 

 entry made. 



Having notified the members of the committee and none 

 appearing I substituted Mr. Pillsbury of Danvers to act 

 with me. 



We met Mr. Little and with him looked over the sev- 

 eral acres of land that he had cleared from a woody 

 growth and removed all obstructions from, so that now it 

 is as fine a field, and well laid down to grass as anyone 



