Ill 



The land on which the above were raised has been planted 

 with root crops and squashes the three past years, and has 

 been manured liberally with compost of rotten kelp, meadow 

 mud and barn manure. The crops have been carefully cul- 

 tivated — all weeds kept down. The soil is a strong black 

 loam, on the Marblehead Neck. 



Marblehead, November 15th, 1853. 



REPORT ON FOREST TREES, ENTERED FOR THE 

 FAY PREMIUM. 



The Committee appointed in 1848, upon the offer made by 

 Richard S. Fay, Esq., of Lynn, for the cultivation of oaks 

 from the acorn, have attended to the duty assigned them, 

 and Report : 



That on the 25th of September, 1847, a letter was received 

 from Mr. Fay, through B. T. Reed, Esq., " proposing a 

 prize of one hundred dollars, for the best plantation of oaks, 

 of not less than one acre. The prevailing species to consist 

 of the white and the black or the yellow oaks, to be grown 

 from the acorn planted this autumn or in the spring on land 

 not now under tillage, or in mowing. The prize to be 

 awarded in 1852, and the money, in the meantime, to be 

 placed at interest for the benefit of the successful competi- 

 tor." In connection with this offer, Mr. Fay remarks, " it 

 will require no great expenditure of time, and no money to 

 enable any person to plant an acre, and the advantage to the 

 person so doing, would far exceed the labor bestowed, even 

 if an unsuccessful competitor." He declines giving any 

 specific instructions as to the planting, thinking " it will be 

 best for every one to follow out their own ideas upon the 

 subject," 



Such was the offer, and such were the conditions on which 

 the money was entrusted to the Trustees of this Society, and 

 deposited with the Treasurer. 



