24 



experiments have been made by Mr. T. in reference to the com- 

 parative effects of leached and unleached ashes. 



Mr. T. cuts heavy crops of hay, which are kept up mainly by 

 top-dressing — a system which he prefers to ploughing the land 

 much, especially as it is generally rather stony and hard to cul- 

 tivate. 



We had scarcely time to go over the main portion of Mr. 

 Tucker's farm and a part of his brother's, adjoining, when rain put 

 a stop to our pleasant walk. We may say, in passing, that the 

 Messrs. Tucker take special pains in the selection of their stock, 

 both cattle and horses, and on few farms have we seen better. 

 Several of the cows were not only handsome, but evidently very 

 profitable. 



On the 26th of June the Committee, by invitation, visited 

 Dover, meeting at the farm of Calvin Richards. On this occa- 

 sion, as well as several other appointments, the state of the 

 weather interfered with the arrangements. Ilain fell copiously 

 during the preceding night and during the morning of the day of 

 our visit. This rendered walking over farms — particularly through 

 tall grass and grain — much less agreeable, to say the least, than 

 it would have been in dry weather. 



Mr. Richards's farm consists of 100 acres. It is mostly rather 

 stony, but much of the soil is strong and good for grass, which is 

 the leading crop. He uses the Buckeye mowing-machine, by 

 which he is satisfied he can cut grass cheaper than by the scythe ; 

 and thinks farmers, on rough and stony land, should endeavor to 

 bring their fields into such a condition that the grass crop can be 

 readily cut with machines. He prefers barley as a crop to " seed 

 down" with, as being better for the grass than any other grain. 

 It is also a good crop in reference to the grain and straw Avhich it 

 furnishes. Mr. R.'s barley fields appeared promising. 



Mr. Richards has commenced the improvement of old pasture 

 land. On a tract near his house he has cut bushes, dug stones, 

 drained a wet basin, and ploughed — the land having never been 

 ploughed before. The crops growing on the land, at the time of 

 our visit, were chiefly corn and potatoes, which looked Avell. On 

 another tract Mr. R. has cut the bushes, with a view of eradica- 

 ting them and encouraging the growth of grass. But these ex- 

 periments have not been carried on for a sufficient length of time 

 to justify a positive conclusion in regard to their advantage. 



The Committee made a very brief call at the farm of Ephraim 

 Wilson. He has commenced the reclamation of a piece of swamp 

 land, by draining and applying to a portion a coating of gravel. 



