72 FARMS. 



reclaijning a large swamp, by ditching extensively, that is covered with 

 bushes that " require more hands than his to lop their wanton growth." 

 He raises potatoes for the early market, and cabbages, carrots, beets, 

 the best for the market, the poorer qualities for his cows, about a dozen 

 in number, that are kept for the sale of their milk. He has adopted 

 the practice of soiling them. In the warm weather he lets them run 

 a few hours in the pasture, then puts them in his barn and feeds them 

 with green fodder, such as early cut rye, fodder corn, refuse cabbages 

 and leaves, beet tops, &c., as they come to growth. We noticed two 

 acres of winter rye sown for next spring's feed, two acres of fodder 

 corn, two acres of cabba,gjGs, the bast for market, the smaller heads 

 and leaves for forage. By this method of feeding, he makes large 

 quantities of manure to fertilize his fields which he has cleared of stones 

 at a considerable outlay. He cultivates the strawberry and other small 

 fruits, cuts about thirty tons of hay yearly, raises his own wheat for 

 flour and often has many bushels for sale. 



Your Committee called upon each of the competitors to make a 

 written statement of their farming operations somewhat in detail. 

 They have responded by submitting their statements to us. Their 

 statements do not show us exactly a Cash Balance for their operations, 

 which is a desideratum in Farming accounts. For example. Mr, 

 Derby shows the number of tons of hay he cuts, bat the hay is con- 

 sumed to make milk and butter. 



Accompanying this Report are the statements of the competitors 

 which will render a more detailed report from us unneoessary. 



We make the awards as follows : 



1st prem. to Alden Derby, Ljominster, $50 00 



2d '■ Daniel S. Elton, Fitchburg, 25 00 



All of which is re-;p33LfaUy submitted, 



CYRUS KILBURN, for the Committee. 



Statement of Alden Derby. 



To the Committee on Farms : 



Gentlemen : My Farm contains 107 acres. About 30 are in 

 shape to cultivate; 20 acres pretty good pasture; oO acres poor, run- 

 <}\xt pasture producing bat little feed, and 27 acres swamp, good for 

 nothing at present for farm purposes. When I commenced here six 

 years ago, I adopted "mixed" farming with stock and dairy takmg 

 lead. I was convinced that we could not depend upon our old pas- 

 tures which had been cropped year after year by milch cows, without 

 having anything returned to them, for a profitable supply of summer 

 fodder for our stock. Two systems presented themselves for consider- 

 ation ; one, to plow, seed, mow twj or three years, then pasture, then 



