42 



should remain a day or two, or more, if convenient, and then be 

 worked over again, when it may be used without dehay. The pot- 

 ash I used was of an inferior quaUty, and cost about three and a 

 half cents per pound. 



" I used muck as above prepared on an old pasture, which was 

 planted the last of May, 1860. A shovelful of muck was applied 

 to each hill — the hills being at the rate of 4,500 to the acre. The 

 lot was planted to corn the first and second days of June. It 

 was the large and late variety known as the ' smutty white.' The 

 result was a success, as I considered it, though the corn was not 

 planted till the time of hoeing my other fields, and yet was the 

 only corn I had that year that ripened sufficiently for seed. A 

 portion of it was gathered before the 24th of September. The 

 stalks were well grown, and the yield of grain above an average. 



" To me, since I have known how to prepare it, peat muck is 

 invaluable. In the compost heap, in hog-pens, cow-stalls, and in 

 its combinations with potash, soda-ash, guano, &c., it is in daily 

 demand." 



-■«.- 



SOILING CATTLE. 



The Committee on Soiling regret that, in consequence of cir- 

 cumstances which cannot here be explained, the application of 

 Mr. A. W. Cheever, of Wrentham, to be considered a competitor 

 for the Society's premium this year, was overlooked by them. 

 Mr. C. had also requested that instructions might be given to him 

 in regard to the most satisfactory method of conducting his experi- 

 ments, and that by personal examination in the course of the 

 season, the Committee would satisfy themselves and the [Society 

 of his manner of proceeding in the case. 



Since the late annual exhibition, Mr. C. has reminded the 

 Committee of his application and of his disappointment, and also 

 furnished them with the subjoined statement of the manner in 

 which he has proceeded in soiling his cattle, and of its results. 

 We regard this statement as one of much value, and a plain indica- 

 tion of the probability that the applicant's claim for a premium 

 would have been successful. We have concluded, therefore, to 

 publish it. We also append to it another statement, which, though 

 not emanating from a member of our own Society, but printed in 

 that excellent journal — the " New England Farmer," we think 

 worthy of permanent record in our Transactions. 



A portion of the Committee recently visited the farm of Mr, 

 Cheever — too late, however, to observe the course he pursues in 



