36 



following towns: Fitchburg, four; Leominster, one; 

 Princeton, three; Westminster, one. The other four 

 acres were withdrawn. 



One of the pieces visited by your committee was 

 found to be too light to compete, — that is, it did not 

 weigh 30 lbs. to the rod. 



Your committee was at no trouble in finding the 

 fields, although situated some twelve miles apart; but 

 not so w^ith some of the statements in regard to the 

 cultivation and expense of the crop ; and it is hoped 

 that next year, the Trustees will adopt a different course 

 from the one pursued this year.* 



CORN. 



The first premium of $G,00, for the most profitable 

 acre of corn, we award to the town of Fitchburg. — 

 Samuel Farwell, 2d, Master. Mr, Favwell had twenty, 

 three hills. to the rod, and it weiglied 47 i lbs. The 

 seed corn came from the " Poor Farm" in Sterling. 



The second premium, of $4,00, wx award to John 



* The subject hero alluded to is one that has always been a "stum- 

 bling block " in the way of gaining information concerning premium 

 Crops It is frequently with difficulty that f^tateraents can be procured 

 at all, and often their contentsare valueless to the Society when obtained. 

 This must be the excuse for the non-appearance of some statements in 

 this volume in connection with the awards. 



In order to remedy this difficulty, the Society at its Annual 

 Meeting. December 3d, 1856, adopted a form, containing questions 

 to be answered by competitors, and unless the questions are all properly 

 an-wered and returned to the Secretary, within a speciSed time, the 

 crop will be considered as having been withdrawn, and cannot be en- 

 titled to a premium. This mode, it is hoped, will insure promptness, 

 and entire uniformity in all statements in the future. [Sec'y.] 



