172 



The amount of hay is estimated at 18 

 tons at an average price of $12 per ton, $216 00 



484 00 1 



Net Profit, 266 66 



Respectfully submitted, 



Charles J. Peabody. 



REPORT ON ESSAYS AND REPORTS. 



The Committee on Essays, Farm Accounts, and Reports 

 of Committees, respectfully make their annual report upon 

 the subjects referred to them. The committee are author- 

 ized to award premiums, 1st, for "original essays on any 

 subject connected with agriculture, in a form worthy of 

 publication." 2nd, "for best statement of actual farm ac- 

 counts, drawn from the experience of the claimant, in a 

 form worthy of publication." 3rd, for "reports of commit- 

 tees upon subjects for which premiums are offered." 



These instructions, it will be observed, allow the com- 

 mittee considerable latitude in determining what papers 

 are entitled to premiums, and yet are sufficiently indefinite 

 to cause doubts to arise in some cases as to what the com- 

 mittee is permitted to do under the rules. 



In the matter of farm accounts, for instance, the lan- 

 guage used is so inexact, that farmers who wish to submit 

 forms of accounts may be uncertain, ' as well as the com- 

 mittee, as to what sort of account is desired. One account 

 was submitted to the committee this year, which was 

 doubtless supposed to come within the rule, but the com- 



