70 TRANS AUCTIONS. 



duce one large crop, by making every other part of the farm pay trib- 

 ute to this one. These errors we hope to see corrected, — at least not 

 to see them so common. We hope this important branch of busi- 

 ness will hereafter receive more and more encouragement from gov- 

 ernment, from agricultural societies, and from men of science. 



The good influence of associations, annual exhibitions, addresses, 

 reports and statements, is perceptible in the improvement of build- 

 ings and fences, in the clearing of unseemly hedges, in the removal 

 of stumps and bogs, and in the general appearance of comfort and 

 thrift. One neighbor stimulates another ; one learns from the exam- 

 ple and practice of another ; and each becomes more interested in his 

 work by seeing and hearing of the successful or unsuccessful experi- 

 ments of others. 



The number of farms entered for premium was five, all of which 

 were visited by the committee in June and September. 



For a description of the farms which received premiums, and the 

 manner in which they have been managed, we refer to the statements 

 below. 



STATEMENT OF MOSES STEBBINS. 



The form, which I enter, for premium, contains forty-one acres, 

 situated near the Connecticut river, in South Dcerfield. When I 

 came in possession, in 1831, ten acres of it consisted of a poor, worn 

 out, buckwheat field. In 1838, I resolved to have a better farm. I 

 hauled on clay, at the rate of fifty loads per acre. Then, I spread 

 twenty-five loads of manure to the acre ; sowed two hundred pounds 

 of plaster ; plowed all in together ; planted corn, and obtained a fair 

 crop. At the outset, I tried but three acres, by way of experiment; 

 and, after witnessing the result, I continued until I had treated the 

 ten acres alike. After corn, I planted oats, and stocked down to 

 clover. 



By use of clay and manure, I have made all my land, as good as 

 the best, and increased my pastures one hundred per cent., in quan- 

 tity and quality of feed. I have practiced plowing deep and do so 

 now, but in a different way from my former practice. I now plow in 

 manure foiir or five inches deep ; then, subsoil as deep as I can run 

 a subsoil plow. I prefer this to running deep, in order to turn up 

 the subsoil. I commonly plant my land two years in succession ; 

 thereby mixing soil and manure, and pulverizing the soil for grass. 

 Instead of oats, I raise barley, which I deem far more profitable to 

 the farmer. Where we made one hundred loads of manure in 1838, 

 we now make three hundred and fifty loads. I haul from seventy- 

 five to one hundred loads of earth into my barn and hog yards, annu- 



