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the soiling of his cattle. But they had an opportunity to see the 

 cattle, and observed convincing evidence of the care and attention 

 they received. They could not but regret that particular instruc- 

 tions had not been given to Mr. Checver in answer to his request, 

 and had no doubt that such instructions would have been complied 

 ■with to the letter. 



Mr. Cheever and his worthy father, 0. G. Cheever, have been 

 for a few years prosecuting a course of farm improvements — by 

 thoroughly draining and reclaiming lands — which have wrought as 

 great a change upon their farm, and will, no doubt, present as 

 beneficial results, as can be shown upon any similar farm in the 

 County, or, indeed, upon any farm carried on with like limited 

 means, and almost entirely by the personal labor of the occupants. 



Repeated observation of these improvements, of the thorough- 

 ness of the operations on this farm, and of the intelligent and 

 careful management of every part of the estabhshment, demands 

 something more than a passing comphmentary notice of it. And 

 we feel that, in justice to his claims, and to the interest which it 

 is the aim of this Society to foster and promote, we cannot do less 

 than to recommend that a gratuity of ten dollars be paid to Mr. 

 Cheever for his experiment in soiling his cattle, and the statement 

 he has furnished of the manner and results of his experiment. 



We also recommend that the notice given this year of his inten- 

 tion to compete for the premium for the best experiment in soiling 

 cattle, be considered as extended to the coming year. 



For the Committee, 



CHARLES C. SEWALL. 



STATEMENT OF MR. CHEEVER. 



Wishing to make some experiments in feeding cows on grain 

 crops, &c., I sent a notice to the Secretary of the Society, which 

 he was desired to accept as the first step toward an entry for 

 premium for the best experiment in soiling cattle. I also requested 

 the Committee, through him, to make any suggestions they 

 might think proper in relation to the matter. As I waited to 

 hear from the Committee, I neglected to commence at the proper 

 time to weigh, and measure, and keep an accurate record of dates, 

 &c. Therefore I have now no such statement to make as I in- 

 tended and hoped to have. But I w'ill tell you, in a general way, 

 what we have been doing, not only during the present, but in past 

 years also. 



INIy father's farm, on which I am a laborer, is not naturally 

 good pasture land — being too cold and wet to produce sweet feed, 



