BERKSHIRE SOCIETY. Ill 



in its production, but to be one of the best crops with which to 

 seed for pasture or mowing. It is also universally approved of 

 for fattening swine, and it may be safely recommended for all 

 other animals where it is the object to promote the growth or to 

 increase the fat. But a few years since, the competitors for the 

 premiums on this crop numbered but two or three, but the num- 

 ber has gradually increased from year to year, so that this year 

 we are enabled to number ten. 



The potato crop has again been visited by blight, and, on 

 some farms, it has suffered to considerable extent by the rot. 

 Both of these maladies have had the effect to materially shorten 

 the crop, although we think it has suffered more by the former 

 than the latter. Eleven crops of potatoes were offered for pre- 

 mium. 



There were only three entries of dairies, all of which were 

 meritorious ; and the only difficulty we met with, in this depart- 

 ment of our labor, was, to decide how the three premiums offered 

 by the Society should be distributed among the competitors. 



There were eight crops of carrots entered, most of which 

 appeared well and indicated a faithful as well as skilful cultiva- 

 tion. 



The increasing interest manifested by the people of this 

 county in planting and rearing fruit trees, we hail as ominous of 

 great results to those who are thus engaged. The manifestation 

 of interest is not found alone in the farmer ; nay, many of this 

 class are found far behind in the race ; but those who have a pos- 

 session of only an acre, or only a fraction of that amount, are 

 successfully cultivating not only the common but the choicest 

 varieties of fruit to be found in our northern clime. We feel 

 bound to notice particularly the laudable efforts making by Asahel 

 Foote, of Williamstown, in this noble enterprise. He is devoting 

 the most of his time to the cultivation of a nursery which con- 

 tains one hundred and twenty varieties of the apple, twenty-five 

 of the pear, forty of the plum, and twenty of the cherry. We 

 trust that he will receive, at least, a fair compensation for his 

 time and money thus expended ; but we believe that the greatest 

 profit, in the aggregate, will result to those who purchase, and 

 carefully plant and cultivate, the trees he is so successfully rais- 



