62 



pasturage season, save the fall feed in our mowing fields, the feed- 

 ing of the latter being considered by many good farmers a poor 

 plan ; and Avould not the milk be richer and sweeter, than it often 

 is, as the cows would have only the good grasses to eat? The 

 Committee trust that IMr. Gray's example will call the attention of 

 farmers to their pastures, and that this Society will have the ex- 

 periments before it with an approach to the real value of the im- 

 provement. The Committee do not propose to discuss this matter 

 at greater length, preferring to wait until more facts shall come 

 before them. They acknowledge the hospitality of Mr. Gray, and 

 can verify, by actual observation, the statements that he has made, 

 respecting the different appearances of his pasture under the va- 

 rious application of the topdressings. x\s the improvement now 

 before them is the first presented to the attention of the Society, 

 and that they may express their opinion of the value of such ex- 

 periments, the Committee award to Smith Gray, of Walpole, the 

 first premium of $8.00. For the Committee, 



BENJ. G. KIMBALL, Chairman. 

 JVeedham, Oct. 7, 1858. 



SMITH GRAY'S STATEMENT. 



The two pastures visited by you contain about (five, and eleven, 

 in all) sixteen acres ; they were both in one, when they came into 

 my possession, 22 years ago — at that time the fences were poor 

 and the pasture pretty well covered with bushes and moss — and I 

 may add, remained in the same condition till 1850. In the 

 Spring of that year I ploughed up about two acres of the best part 

 and had it planted with corn and potatoes — and the same course 

 was pursued with it the following year, and laid down to grass in 

 the Spring of 1852. In the same Spring I had about nine acres 

 more ploughed up, but its being situated something like a mile 

 and a half from home, it was determined to adopt some other me- 

 thod than hauling the manure that distance — accordingly buck- 

 wheat was sowed on to the nine acres and two green crops turned 

 under that season. The next Spring spread on a few bushels 

 each, of ashes, plaster and lime, and sowed it down to grass ; a 

 great portion of the pasture, after ploughing, was covered with 

 large (juantities of loose stones ; in order to get rid of these, and at 

 the same time, turn them to some account, a trench was dug 

 and they were carted off and made into a wall around the lot, by 

 " doubling up" about 2| feet thick and 2 feet high, setting the 

 old posts in the Avail and two rails above ; the same kind of fence 

 was also made across the pasture, to divide Avhat had been already 



