95 



ing for the Farm and Farmers." Subject for the after- 

 noon, " Little Leaks vs. Great Wastes." Both papers by 

 Dr. Geo. M. Twitchell of Maine. 



The fourth Institute was held at Salem, March 12. 

 Subject for forenoon, " The Reflections of a Modern Hay- 

 seed." " A Grange, What, Why, and How." Subject for 

 afternoon, " Book Farming vs. Moon Farming," by E. D. 

 Howe, of Marlboro, Master of the State Grange. 



REPORT ON ESSAYS AND REPORTS. 



The Committee on Essays and Reports have had an un- 

 usually light task assigned to them this year, as only a 

 single essay and one report have been submitted to them. 

 For these they have made awards as follows : 



$6.00 To Mr. M. Sumner Perkins, of Danvers, for essay 



upon " The Fertility of the Soil." 

 $6.00 To Mr. George A. Rogers, of North Andover, for 

 report on " Root Crops." 



For the Committee, 



G. L. Streetek, Chairman. 



Committee — G. L. Streeter, Salem ; D. E. Safford, Ham- 

 ilton ; N. M. Hawkes, Lynn ; Geo. B. Blodgett, Rowley ; 

 J. M. Danforth, Lynnfield. 



THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL. 



BY M. SUMNER PERKINS. 



What constitutes a fertile soil, a soil that is productive 

 of large crops ? To be fertile the soil must possess to an 

 eminent degree all the qualities which tend to develop and 

 foster a luxuriant plant growth. There must be an abun- 

 dance and variety of all the elements of plant food. The 



