132 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



NOVEMBER 3, 1634. 



mTddlesexITattle show. 



From the (Concoid) Yeoman's Gazelle. 

 REPORT ON, FARMS, &c. 



Gentlemen— Yolii- Coiniiiittee on Faniip, Fruit, ] 

 and Miill)en-y Trees, have aiteniled to then- duty, 

 and ask leave to make the foil. .win- Repon :— 



The apiilications for preiniiinis on farms are five. 

 Capt. AI.el Moore of Concord, not entitled to pre- 

 mium, Mr. Stephen Riee of Marllioro', Moses Whit- 

 ney, Esq. of Stow, not entitled ; Mr. Asa Parker 

 of Acton, ami Mr. Simon Tnttle of Acton. 



We will give a descri|ition of them m the order 

 they were examined, and at the close, name the 

 premiums as they are awarded l.y your Committee. 

 Capt. Moore's farm contains ahont 60 acres, 

 nearly all of it low swamp and meadow land ; m 

 1826, one or two acres only were thought worth 

 ciiltivatiiiff, and not more than one cow could he 

 kept on li.e land. From 1830 to 1833, there were 

 from 30 to 50 tons of English hay cut annually ; 

 during the winter of 1833 and '34, 3 horse.^ 33 

 head of cattle were wintered, and sold 35 tons o( 

 hay. The method of reclaiming this land has 

 been various; some of it l.y taking off the turf, and 

 carting in graxel and sand, with a little, nuuiure 

 and hayseed : some hy covering the soil with gravel, 

 and sc.me hv ploughing. Covering the sod wiih 

 gravel is thought to he the hest methoil, hy I\lr. 

 Moore, taking the expense into consideration. But 

 all these different nioiles are at variance with Mr. 

 Wheeler's method, which is, to take the turf oif 

 with a plough made for that puri.ose ; then dry 

 and hurn it, and spread the ashes and sow in hay- 

 seed ; not putting on any gravel or sand. We 

 have no donht that either of these ways is good, 

 and will well repay the lahor. Capt. Moore has 

 not I.een ahle to make estimate of the expense o( 

 reclaiming the whole, or one acre; hut is fully of 

 the opinion, that one or two crops will pay the 

 lahor of preparing the land. Ic now yields from 

 1 1-2 to 3 tons to the acre ; and at the end ol 

 three years we are compensated for all our lahor, 

 and have land that is worlli IVoni 100 to 150 dol- 

 lars per acre ; this is nett gain of at least 100 dol- 

 lars on each acre. We helieve tiiat Capt. Moore 

 has done the iriost of any man in the county, m 

 reclaiming this kind of soil. His enterprise and 

 perseverance, is an example for all our farmers. 



Mr. Rice's farm is a light thin soil, composed of 

 sand, loam, and gravel, except the woodland and 

 pasture ; it is very easy to cultivate, and lies near 

 the huil.lings; and all greatly improved hy culti- 

 vating, and changing the soil. In 1804, when Mr. 

 Rice commenced (.n this land, it slooil in the re- 

 duced valnaiion of the town, at 30 dollars ; it now 



stands at 216, inaUing an increase of al t seven 



fold. The stock kept on the farm in 1804, was 1 

 horse, 2 cows, and 3 sheep, with the assistance ol 

 the highway. The huildiugs were of little value, 

 the dwelling house not a safe residence in st(.rnis, 



not a rod of wall on the farm — nothing hut rail 



and hrush fences. The farm now keeps 1 horse, 

 18 or 20 head of cattle, and a few sheep. The 

 owner sells from 50 to 100 bushels of grain annu- 

 ally, and about 50 barrels of cider; and in the last 

 15 years, he sold pork to the amount of 1,041 

 dollars, great (lunntities of turkeys, poultry, and 

 butter to the amount of $1295, besides hay. 

 There is now on the farm, a new house and barn, 

 she<l and other out huildiugs in good repair ; a 

 good proportion of stone wall and substantial 

 fence. 



The improvements on this farm have been made 

 hy collecting manure from the low land, anil the 

 hanks of fields, that have been thrown out by the 

 plough, from hedge fences that have b«en rotting 

 fur ages, and the sides of the highway; mixing 

 these together and passing it through the cow and 

 hog-yarils. By these means, the larm has receiv- 

 ed a new appearance, and turned from a barren 

 waste into a fruitful field. We are permitted to 

 say, that Mr. Rice came in possession of this farni, 

 without paying any compensation for it, and htis 

 received in cash $400. These appear to be all 

 the resources that Mr. Rice has had ; the rest 

 came liy his own industry. He is now in posses- 

 sion of a good farm, a goo.l stock of cattle, buihl- 

 iiigs and fences in good order, and $1,100 at in- 

 terest. 



We have been thus particular, to show that a 

 good living, and wealth may be obiaiiied, from a 

 poor soil, with industry and economy, and the 

 smiles of Providence. 



■ Moses Whitney's farm contains 100 acres of im- 

 proved laml, and 30 of woodland. The soil is 

 generally rich, though very rocky ; a small part is 

 a mixture of loain and gravel ; a part is very hilly 

 and uneven. In 1806, the produce was 3 tons of 

 English hay, and a like proportion of grain and 

 cider. Twelve head of cattle and one horse were 

 kept on the farm. The buildings and fences were 

 out of repair, and the pasture generally covered 

 with rocks and bushes. 



The average produce of the farm at this time ie, 

 English hay, from 30 to 40 tons ; wheat, 20 to 50 

 hushels ; corn, 200 ; potatoes, 400. There is 1400 

 rods of stone wall, very large and heavy, chiefly 

 laid hy Mr. Whitney. 700 apple trees engrafted, 

 and in a hearing state, and 800 in a nursery partly 

 engrafted. Mr. Whitney sells 10 to 12 tons of 

 English hay, and other produce amounting to 

 about 800 dollars annually. The whole cost of 

 his hired labor is only about $150 annually, the 

 rest is done hy his own hands. The improve- 

 ment on this farm was made by taking out the 

 rocks, ploughing the land, and by making a large 

 share of compost manure. About 30 acres o( 

 rocky brush pasture, have been subdued by plough- 

 ing and sowing with rye ; about 20 acres of it lays 

 on the side of a very stony hill, formerly covered 

 with brush and of hut little income ; hut now is 

 one of the best pastures in the county. This farm 

 is now in a high state of cultivation, producing 

 great crops with hut little labor, with largo and 

 convenient buildings in gooil repair. 



Mr. Asa barker's farm contains 100 acres, cost 

 in 1824, $1925. The soil of the greatest part ol 

 this farm is loam and gravel, with a mixture of 

 sand ; ipost of the improved land is free from 

 rocks, poor and light, and very easy to cultivate. 

 Several acres are on a hill, of rich .strong soil, cov- 

 ered with rocks, and bear large crops when culti- 

 vated. 



In 1824, the produce of this farm was 6 tons of 

 English hay, and grain, potatoes, apples, &c. in 

 like proportion. The buildings and fences out of 

 repair. — Now there are raised on the same land 

 about 30 tons of English bay, 125 bushels of corn, 

 100 of oats, 30 of rye, 225 of potatoes— the two 

 last seasons wintered 15 head of cattle and 9 

 horses. There are 330 engrafted apple trees in a 

 thriving state ; 600 rods of wall, the rock mostly 

 removed in the winter. Mr. Parker has made 

 about 200 loads of compost manure, yearly. He 

 has subdued 16 acres of brush pasture by plough- 



ing and hoeing, and now half a <lay's work wil 

 mow all his bushes. And 11 acres of new land 

 hard and rocky, have been brought into a state of 

 cultivation, and produced 2 tons of English hay 

 to the acre the two first years. There is one new 

 harn, ami all the other buildings are in good re- 

 pair. 



We are permitted to say that IMr. Parker has no 

 prn|)erty but what he has accumulated by his own 

 industry ; that he labored as a hired man till he 

 was thirty years of age, and is now in possession 

 of the above described farm and stock, and is free 

 from debt. 



Mr. Tultle's farm contains 60 acres ; in 1814, 

 two men jioled into the harn all the English hay 

 cut oil the farm, in one hour ; the other proiluce 

 ahont equal to the hay — buildings and fences out 

 of repair. At this time the produce of the farm is 

 from 15 to 20 tons of English hay, 100 bushels 

 of corn, 100 of rye, 100 of potatoes, about 1200 

 pounds of hops, 300 engrafted apple trees in a 

 thriving, and part in a bearing state. A good share 

 of wall, a new harn, and all other buildings ir. 

 good repair. 



This firm is a strong rocky soil, but productive. 

 It has been subdued chiefly with the iron bar and 

 plough, and with good success. A good share of 

 eomiiost manure has been made annually ; a con- 

 tinuation of the same lahor a few years will make 

 it a profitable farm. 



Your Committee are happy in saying, that on 

 many of the farms they have visited, not any ar- 

 dent spirits has been used, and others very little 

 indeed. We ardently wish that the next report 

 on farms may state, that not any spirit has been 

 used. 



Your Committee have awarded the first premi- 

 um of $25, to Moses Whitney of Stow. — The 2d 

 do. of $25, to Mr. Asa Parker of Acton. — The 3d 

 do. of $20, to Mr. Stephen Rice of Marlboro'. 

 The 4th, do. of $15, to Mr. Simon Tuttle of Ac- 

 ton. 



Mr. William Bnckminister of Framingham, was 

 the only applicant for the premium on Pear Trtts 

 He has nearly 40 trees engrafted with various 

 kinds, and some of a superior quality, and in 8 

 very thriving state. 



We awarded to Wm. Bnckminister, Esq. the IS" 

 premium of $10. 



Mr. Lawson Bnckminister of Framingham, mad« 

 the only application for a iiremium on Jlyple Or 

 clumls. He has about 150 trees, which were se 

 out in 1829, on the northerly side of a large hil 

 towards the lower part of it, in a rich, loam 

 soil; they are in a very thriving state. This i 

 ihe hest orchard we have seen of late, and w* 

 would recommend to farmers to ibllow Mr. Buck 

 minister's plan, and set a part of their orchards o 

 the north side of hills, as they will there be leas 

 liable to be injured by an early frost in the fall.- 

 We have awarded to Mr. Lawson Buckmiuistei 

 the Isi preminm of $15. 



We had four applications for premiums, on .Vu, 

 berry Trees, from Reuben Hoar of Littleton, Job 

 Stacy of Concord, Lawson Buckminister of Fraiii 

 i„gbam, and Henry Wright of Stow. Mr. Hot 

 bas about 11 acres of land set with trees ; 100 ( 

 them are 5 years, and 900 4 years old ; they wei 

 set in plough land, about 1 1-2 rods apart each wa; 

 about one bushel of compost manure put to cac 

 iree. Mr. Hoar thinks that the trees at this di 

 taiice will be best on account of ploughing aboi 

 the roots, and raising a crop of corn or potatoes 



