62 committees' report. 



new roots ; it also prevents the growth of weeds around the trees 

 and obvdatcs the necessity of lioeing, dressing, or watering during 

 the season; a deep mulching should always be given to fall plant- 

 ing to prevent the frost penetrating the roots or drawing up the 

 tree. 



Says Captain Pierce, of Arlington, I would rather pay forty 

 dollars a ton for meadow hay to mulch my trees rather than do 

 without it. 



Says the writer of these remarks, I have practiced mulching my 

 trees for the two past years ; I begin in March to throw out my 

 meadow^ hay into the barn yard ; my young cattle feed as much or 

 as little as they please ; about the first of May the mulching is 

 forked in heaps or ridges, and about the first of June it is applied 

 to young trees ; it works so well that I shall continue the opera- 

 tion ; for trees of older growth or those in bearing, the hay may be 

 applied at any time at the rate of a load to the acre ; the opera- 

 tion secures a four-fold object ; it prevent grass and weeds from 

 growing, it keeps the ground moist in the dry part of the season ; 

 in the end it makes manure ; the fruit is not in the least injured 

 by falling from the trees. 



In behalf of the Committee, 



EPHRAIM GRAHAM. 



Fitchburg, Nov. 1, 1870. 



COMMITTEES' REPORT. 



The Committee to award premiums for reports, would say, that 

 after due consideration, they have made the following awards : 



Report on apple orchards, by Ephraim Graham, of Lunenburg, 

 Ist premium, of $10.00. 



Report on poultrv, by Dr. J. Fisher, of Fitchburg, 2d premium, 

 of $6.00. 



At the Trustees' meeting, Dec. 17, 1870, it was 



Voted, that a gratuity of six dollars be awarded to Solon Carter, 

 of Leominster, for his report as chairman of the Committee on 

 Farms. 



WM. WOODBURY, fo?- the Committee. 



