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pearance of the crops indicated that they were well planted 

 and cultivated thoroughly. The fences and buildings were in 

 about as good condition as we expect to find on a farm that 

 has been let for many years. Some of the Committee think 

 the Society ought not to give a premium to any farm having 

 such poor fences and buildings ; others think the tenant could 

 not be expected to expend much in repairing and keeping in 

 order the fences, and if his management in other respects was 

 judicious, he ought not to be deprived of the premium on 

 account of neglecting that which belonged to the owners to do. 



The farm was visited by part of the Committee on the 19th 

 of September. At that time it looked as well as we expected 

 to find it. Although Ave have seen some farms where the 

 weeds were kept down better, yet we have seen many more 

 that were not kept so clean. Mr. Merrill has given his atten- 

 tion mostly to raising vegetables for the market, and he has 

 been very successful in this. This he thinks more profitable 

 than making milk. Our impression is, that if his cows had 

 received more of his attention they would have done better, 

 though we think that milk can be produced cheaper farther 

 from the city, where land is not so valuable. The yield of 

 milk appears small to us, compared with the other products of 

 the farm. According to his statement his cows did not average 

 four quarts per day each for the seven best months of the year 

 for making milk. 



The Committee, when they visited the farm, were satisfied 

 that a very large amount of produce was raised for the amount 

 of labor expended ; and when we notice the price at which 

 the early vegetables were sold, we saw more distinctly than 

 we ever realized before, the advantages which the market 

 gardener derives from his hot beds. 



We regret that Mr. Merrill, in giving his statement of the 

 farm, has followed so far the example of those who, for the 

 past few years, have made statements of their farming in our 

 transactions. Where the hay and roots are consumed on the 



