14 MR. stone's address. 



will be inferior for leather when manufactured — a fact of no 

 little pecuniary importance to the consumer. 



A subject intimately allied to the foregoing, is Pasturage. — • 

 Good pasture is as essential to the best results of the Dairy, as 

 it is to the best appearance of stock. "Short commons" will 

 make "lean kine" and "thin skimmings," and an inquiry into the 

 method by which the largest number of cattle may be kept in 

 good flesh on the smallest number of acres, can never be regard- 

 ed as idle. There are, in Essex County, more than 100,000 

 acres of pasturage. Much of this is poor — so bound-out, that a 

 ten acre lot in midsummer, will scarcely afford a cow her fill, 

 though she feeds from "dawn to dewy eve." Such lands may 

 be renovated, without loss of the spring feed, by breaking up 

 in August, and sowing grass seed with rye. The rye will af- 

 ford ample feed the following spring, while the grass is obtain- 

 ing further root. If but half the field is broken up at a time, it 

 need not be vacated a single season.* Pastures mossed over, 

 that cannot be ploughed, may be benefitted by harrowing and 

 a dressing of salt. 



Time may be saved to farmers, in renovating their mowing 

 lands, by sowing grass seed among corn at the last weeding, 

 and covering it with a light harrow, fitted to pass between the 

 rows. Experience has proved that hilling is not necessary to 

 the support of corn, and if, when taken oft', the stalks are cut 

 close to the ground, and the land rolled, the stubble will pre- 

 sent no impediment to the scythe. Two advantages are secu- 

 red by seeding a cornfield. First, an effectual protection 

 against drought, a point not always gained when grass seed is 

 sownwith barley or rye ; and secondly, the grass shares the ben- 

 efit of the manure, without perceptible injury to the corn, and a 

 more luxuriant growth is obtained. Land broken up in the 

 autumn, and planted the next season with corn, may be treats 

 ed in the same way. This plan has the approbation of many 

 of our most judicious farmers, and from the success I have 

 witnessed in the praotioe, I feel confidence in recommending it. 



* This methotl li^s latoly been brought to public notice, by Win. Buckminstcr, Esq., 

 editor of the Mis^sachusctt-^ Ploughman, It is said to havo been practised tiiirty yeara 

 ago, by a farmer sogth of Uo&ton, whose uuuie I do not reint'Uiber, 



