REPORTS OF COMMITTEES 



SUMMER CROPS. 



The Committee on Summer Crops having attended to their duty, respectfully 

 submit the following report : 



The examination of Summer Crops, occurring as it does, in the most busy part 

 of the season, was made with care and diligence, — although the earliness of the 

 rye and lateness of the oat crop made it necessary to go over a portion of the 

 ground the second time, in order to do justice to those who entered those crops. 

 But no one should ever get tired of driving over and around the old hills of 

 Berkshire and viewing her wealth of scenery, and then, too, the wealth of hu- 

 man nature that one comes in contact with is a perpetual source of enjoyment, 

 and the kind greetings and generous hospitaHties of old, as well as new friends, 

 and even strangers, are no small compensation for the time, that — except for 

 these — would be reluctantly given at this season of the year. 



In making the awards, the committee have endeavored to use the strictest im- 

 partiality, and have in most cases been unanimous in their decisions. Two or 

 three crops varied so slightly that it was difficult for the committee to decide in 

 their own minds to which to give the preference, and we shall not be surprised 

 if some dissent from our awards. 



We found, in several instances, that the area of ground fell short of what is 

 required by the entry, both in four and one acre pieces. It should be, and it is, 

 the duty of every person entering a crop for premium, to know by actual 

 measurement that the piece contains the full amount stipulated by the entry. 

 We found one man, who otherwise stood a very good chance for the first 

 premium on his crop, frank enough to tell us that the piece was two rods short 

 of the amount entered, and as a matter of necessity we rejected it. 



Winteb Wheat. — Some very good crops, — fully an average for Berkshire, 

 while others were light and poor — full of all manner of vile weeds, — some weevil. 



Spedtg WnEAT. — A few pieces very good and heavy, while others were light, 

 probably from want of ^w(\. Wheat, unlike rye and oats, stools but little, and 

 therefore requires more seed to the acre. We should say three to three and 

 one half bushels per acre, according to the tilth of the land. 



Rye. — We were shown many pieces of extra good rye, — and very few 

 samples of "old rye." Next year the "old" maybe better than the "new." 

 The rye crop of the county, this season, was uncommonly good, and yet we 

 found some pieces not well tilled. We also found the weevil at work in rye. 

 One field in particular had a very handsome ami heavy growth of straw, but 

 heads all stood erect, — as straight as candles, — and very poorly rilled, except 

 with weevil. And yet at the present prices of straw, saying nothing of the 

 fabulous prices realized last spring, even that field will yield a paying crop, and 



