290 



NEW ENGLAND PARMER. 



then be sowa with whiter r3c, to produce a 

 crop of grnia at the next harvest — souing five 

 or «ix pecks, because sown so h\te. — Or it may 

 lie till the ensuing Miiy, and tlien be pliiiited 

 with Indian corn. The product, compared witli 

 the last of the same acre, prior to the com- 

 mencement of the experiment, especially if a 

 crop of the same kind, will show tin- value of 

 the green crop ploughed in. 



ANOTHER MODE. 



The acre being diviiled lengthways into two 

 equal ports, plough the whole uniformly in tht 

 spring. Sow on one part two bushels ol oats 

 or barley, or a bushel of buck-wheat, or three 

 or four half pecks of millet : and harrow the 

 whole acre alike, and so as duly to cover the 

 seed which has been sown. When the crop 

 has attained its full growth, but is still in blos- 

 som, plough it in ; ploughing the yacant half 

 acre at the same time, and to the same depth. 

 Sow the first half acre again immedialcly, and 

 harrow in the seed, harrowing the other half in 

 the same manner. The next year repeat the 

 same process. Then the whole acre may be 

 «own with winter rye (3 pecks on each half;) 

 or tl^e land may lie (as in the process first pro- 

 posed) to be planted with Indian corn the ensu- 

 ing spring. In the third year, the crop put in 

 must stand to ripen. The produce of each half 

 acre (both being sown or planted, and cultiva- 

 ted iu the same manner) must be kept by itself, 

 and accurately measured. The difference be- 

 tween them will show the value of the green 

 crops ploughed in. 



Every experimenter will perceive that no 

 manure whatever is to be used — the crops sown, 

 and the weeds ploughed under, excepted. 



Until ploughs constructed for the purpose of 

 completely turning in green crops shall be intro- 

 duced, it will be necessary to roll flat the green 

 crop before ploughing, or it cannot be duly cov- 

 ered. Perhaps a small roller, or what is called 

 afoot, only of a large size, may be attached to 

 the fore end of the plough beam, to press down 

 the crop to the ground, and thus cause it to be 

 efl'ectually covered. Such a roller, or foot, will 

 serve as a gauge for the depth of the furrow in 

 which the orop shall be buried. 



v.— CIDER. . 

 For the bBst ciiier, the pure juice of the apple, 



which shall be made in the prtscut year, not less 



than tight barrels, - - - $10 



For the second best - - - - 5 



The greater part of the cider may be sold, 

 if the owner please, only reserving one cask, 

 of which a sample is to be produced at the So- 

 ciety's public exhibition in 1824; with good 

 evidence that the casks sold ivere equal to that 

 reserved. If sold, the claimant will state when, 

 <o whom, and at what prices ; and describe his 

 whole process in collecting, sorting and keep- 

 ing the apples, in making the cider, conducting 

 the fermentation and fining, if any artificial 

 fining be used, and in preserving the cider in 

 the cask. 



For some information of an eligible process 

 in making and managing cider, the Committee 

 refer to the intimations contained in the Explan- 

 atory Observations subjoined to the list of pre- 

 miums for 1821. 



VI.— FOREST TREES. 



The same premiums that were offered in 

 1821 and 1822; to which intended claimants 

 are referred. And they are desifed to give 



notice of their proposed claims to the Secreta- 

 ry, John W. Proctor, Esq. in Danvers, before 

 the first of July next. 



V1I._P0T.\T0ES. 

 Numerous experiments have been made, to 

 increase the products of this root, and premiums 

 have been awarded for the greatest ; but no 

 measures for improving their qualities have 

 fallen under the observation of the Commiltce. 

 It is well known that the seeds in the apples or 

 green balls, which grow on the tops of potatoe 

 stalks, will produce potatoes, which, planted for 

 one year, and their produce a second year, will 

 yield well sized potatoes. It is from these 

 small seeds that all the varieties of potatoes 

 have been produced. It was in this way that a 

 distinguished farmer in Ireland — a country so 

 I'amous for the culture of potatoes — obtained 

 excellent kinds. From the numerous seeds in 

 every ball, a variety of potatoes may be expect- 

 ed ; some early, some late in ripening — some 

 yielding small, and others abundant products — 

 some watery, and others mealy and well flavored. 

 Expectations have often been formed of rais- 

 ing potatoes of the best qualities, by planting 

 those brought from the British Isles ; but disap- 

 pointment is the common result : the products 

 of the first year have scarcely borne a resem- 

 blance to the fine originals. It is very possible, 

 and not improbable, that some sorts superior to 

 any in cultivation among us, may be obtained 

 from the small seeds found in the green balls. 

 To encourage the necessary experiments, the 

 following premiums are offered : 

 Far the best and most valuable potatoes, takin* 

 them for all in all, raised from the seed of the 

 apples or green balls, samples of which shall be 

 produced at the Society's public exjiibition in 

 1«25, .... 



For the second best, 

 For the third best, - - - 5 



The claimants are to detail their whole processes, 

 and state the results. 



REMARKS. 



Some sorts may be of superior excellence for 

 their mealiness and flavor, but moderate in their 

 product ; some not so well flavored, may be very 

 abundant in quantity, and highly valuable for 

 feeding live stock ; some very early ripe ; some 

 growing compactly, and so expeditiously har- 

 vested. The sorts which, combining most of 

 these good qualities, shall bo judged the most 

 valuable, will be preferably entitled to the pre- 

 miums, without excluding claims for potatoes of 

 highly superior goodness, although less produc- 

 tive. To facilitate the execution of these novel 

 experiments, the Committee offer the following 

 DIRECTIONS. 



The experimenter, having determined with 

 what sorts of polalaes he will make his trials, 

 will gather the balls when the stalks, by their 

 drying, indicate a ripeness in the seeds ; and if 

 they are not quite soft, so that the seeds will 

 easily separate from the pulp, they may be laid 

 by (out of the way of frost) until the pulp be- 

 comes soft. Then mash them with the hand, 

 and with the aid of water separate and wash 

 the seeds clean. These, being dried, may be 

 preserved like garden seeds, until the ensuing 

 spring. Then sow them in rows, in a bed of 

 rich garden earth, just as small garden seeds 

 are sown. The rows may be ten inches apart ; 

 and the plants, when grown enough to be thin- 

 ed, may stand four or five inches asunder. 

 Keep them clear of weeds, and stir the earth 



$10 



7 



between the rows. The supernumerary plantst 

 arising from the thinnings, may be transplantedi 

 if needed, to another bed. 



In Autumn, or when the stalks become so far 

 dried that the roots cease to grow, dig these up 

 carefully, so that the potatoes growing on the 

 same plant may be saved by themselves ; for it 

 may happen that each distinct plant may pro- 

 duce a sort difl"erent from the rest. The bulb? 

 or- roots, of the first year, will be very small. 

 In tlie next Spring choosing a piece of rich 

 ground, plant each sort in a hill by itself The 

 product of this year will furnish bulbs big 

 enough to be boiled. And this will be the time 

 for selecting the best. Many sorts may not de- 

 serve any further attention ; but some may be 

 of excellent qualities, as to time of ripening, 

 texture, flavor and productiveness. Their sev- 

 eral qualities should be carefully noted ; and 

 again be separately preserved and planttil 

 another year ; when they will probably have 

 attained all the perfection of which their na- 

 tures admit. 



Lancashire, a western county of England, as 

 well as Ireland, is distinguished for producing 

 good potatoes. Ireland is remarkable for the 

 moisture of its climate ; and the western is 

 more moist than the eastern coast of England. 

 B«th are many degrees farther north than Mas- 

 sachusetts ; and are exempt from the burning 

 heats and droughts of our summers. These cir- 

 cumstanies suggest the propriety of our plant- 

 ing potatoes on moist and cool grounds ; thus 

 assimilated, in some measure, to the soils of Ire- 

 land and Lancashire. 



Vlll— PLOUGHS AND PLOUGHING. 



Some ploughs are of easier draught, and 

 make tetter work, than others ; and some oxen 

 draw or plough extremely well without a dri- 

 ver. The design of ploughing matches is to at- 

 tain all possible perfection in both. The pre- 

 miums, therefore, under this head, will be con- 

 fined to efficient ploughs of easiest draught, 

 drawn each by one yoke of oxen without a 

 driver, ploughing one quarter of an acre, and 

 turning the best furrow, at least five inches 

 deep, and in the shortest time compatible with 

 a continuance of the labor to complete the 

 ploughing of an acre, if that were required. 

 Fo- the best plough, team and work, - - $15 

 For the second best, - - - 12 



For the third best, - - - - 8 



IX.— SUMAC. 



The premium for this article is continued of 

 course, as the claim is to be presented the en- 

 suing autumn. 



GENERAL REMARK. 



The Committee repeat — and desire it may 

 be remembered — that premiums claimed are 

 not to be awarded, unless the subjects of the 

 claims are decidedly meritorious. That is, the 

 respective experiments must be so conducted as 

 to exhibit results worthy of encouragement and 

 imitation — or decisive of a question of which 

 the solution is sought. 



Where a premium has heretofore been awar- 

 ded to any person, he is not to receive another 

 lor the same object. And where any plough 

 has obtained a premium, another is not to be 

 awarded for the same plough, nor for one of 

 the same mould. Some important improve- 

 ment can alone justify an appropriation of the 

 Society's funds, in sases of this nature. 



To alloir time for enterjirising farmers to 



