25 



In August the Committee visited the farm of A. A. Lawrence, 

 of BrookHne. This farm is situated in Newton, and contains 120 

 acres. It was purchased by Mr. L. in 1860, at which time it 

 was much out of order, both as regards the condition of the soil, 

 and the buildings and fences. Since Mr. L. took possession, va- 

 rious improvements have been made, and others are hi progress. 

 Handsome and substantial walls have been built along the high- 

 ways, and for the principal division lines of the farm. The house 

 has been remodelled, and rendered tasteful exteriorly and conven- 

 ient internally. A stone barn has been built, 100 feet long and 

 50 feet wide, with a deep cellar under the whole. The manure 

 from the cattle and horses is deposited in the cellar, where muck 

 and loam are frequently thrown over it to absorb the urine. 



A considerable portion of the farm lies on the sides of pretty 

 high hills, and is naturally quite moist, — too much so for the suc- 

 cess of crops in general. Drains have been made here with very 

 satisfactory results. A basin, on another part of the farm, for- 

 merly a pond for a considerable portion of the year, has been 

 drained the present season, and the ground promises to become 

 valuable. Most of the soil of the farm is a strong, rather tena- 

 cious loam, and under the system of high manuring and thorough 

 cultivation which Mr. L. practices, cannot fail to become very fer- 

 tile and productive. 



Mr. Lawrence keeps twenty cows, twelve of which, on the ave- 

 rage, are in milk all the time. Nearly all the milk is used for 

 making butter, the quantity of which, weekly, ranges from forty 

 to seventy pounds. It is all sold to regular customers at fifty 

 cents per pound, at which rate a better return is probably ob- 

 tained for the milk than could be had in any other way. The 

 dairy is managed with much care and scrupulous neatness, and 

 the butter, as would be inferred from the price it brings, is of su- 

 perior quality. The cows are generally fine. Some of the best 

 are a cross of the Jersey, and a very fine bull of this breed, bred 

 by the late J. P. Gushing, is now in use in the herd. 



In September, some members of the Committee, in company 

 with several other gentlemen, visited the cranberry meadows of 

 Dr. E. D. Miller, of Dorchester, the meadows being in Franklin. 

 Dr. M. has about twenty-five acres set more or less to cranberry 

 vines, part being of natural growth and part having been planted. 

 Of the latter, there are ten or twelve acres. The vines were 

 chiefly planted in 1858, but did not reach their maximum produc- 

 tion for several years. To obtain security against the crop being 

 injured by frost, one of the first steps taken was to form a reser- 

 voir for water, by which the plantation could be flooded in a short 

 time. This has rendered the crop certain, there having been but 



