396 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JUNE 34, 1835. 



^•®m2je4jwis>^wmsa 



[From Tcausactions of the Essex Agricultural Society, for 1834.] 

 REPORT ON IRRIGATION. 

 The Committee of tlif Essex Agricultural So- 

 ciety on Irrigation, consisting of Daniel P. King, 

 Hobart Clark and Moses Newell, Report : — 



That their attention was invited by IV!r Ebene- 

 zer Jenkins of Andover, to four acres of mowing 

 land on which he has been making an experiment 

 in irrigation. The field is a sandy grave), the 

 kind of soil most capablo of improvement by 

 watering, and is so situated as to be flowed at 

 pleasure. Mr Jenkins bought of a neighbor the 

 use of the water and the jirivilege of digging 

 through his pasture for ten years, for twenty dol- 

 lars ; he then built a dam across a constant stream 

 and made a chanuel about fifty rods in length ; 

 by means of this and other suWller ditches, he 

 conducts the water on to his field in such quanti- 

 ties and at such times as he thinks proper. Mr 

 Jenkins states that it is his practice to bring the 

 water on the last of April, and to stop flowing 

 atiout the 25th of June. In the spring of two 

 years out of the four that his land has been in a 

 course of experiments, he has applied a very light 

 top dressing. The experiment has been success- 

 ful and creditable to the enterprise of Mr J. ; the 

 average crop of grass for a number of seasons, 

 according to the statement of several disinterested 

 and judicious farmers, had not exceeded 10 cwt. 

 to tlie acre ; for three past years it was nearly 

 equal to 30 cwt. and the present season, was 

 judged to be two tons to the acre ; the quality of 

 the hay is good, <ind it would command a fair 

 price in the market. 



Irrigation, though long and extensively practis- 

 ed in otlier countries, has been but seldom at- 

 tempted here. That it might be profitably em- 

 ployed by many farmers is probable, that it has 

 been so employed by Mr J. is certain. We will 

 offer him a few suggestions ; if the trial should 

 not prove tlicin to be im])rovements, he will have 

 the additional merit of having extended his ex- 

 periment, and having proved many things, he can 

 hold fast to that which is good. 



We think he should commence flowing earlier 

 in the spring, and ilraw oil' the water sooner than 

 the 25th of June; his grass would he ripe earlier, 

 and by bringing on the water directly after the 

 hay is housed, he would probably secure a heavy 

 second crop. If his top dressing were applied in 

 the fall instead of the spring, it would protect the 

 grass in the winter, and might be productive of 

 greater advantage. Mr J. in his statement re- 

 marks that " ohserviition and judgment are re- 

 quired to know how and when to ap[)ly the water ;" 

 wo agree with him and offer our hints with some 

 distrust of our ability to advise him. The writers 

 on the subject whom we have considtcd, recom- 

 mend a course dilTerent from his in .some respects. 

 They say that the night, and cool or cloudy weath- 

 er are to he preferred for bringing on the water. 

 They also give a general rule, that no water 

 should he applied, (unless in time of drought,) 

 when the grass is tall and nearly full grown, as it 

 might cause it to lodge, might make it gritty, or 

 give it an unpleasant taste. 



In our opinion Mr Jenkins's experiments and 

 statement are satisfactory, and entitle him to a 

 premium of $20,00 



Respectfully submitted by Daniel P. King. 

 JVeto Rowley, Sept 25th 1834. 



F.BENEZER JENKIKS's STATEMENT. 

 To the Committee of the Essex AgricidtuTal Society on 

 Irrigation. 

 Gentlemen — I present you with the following 

 as a statement of my method of irrigating my 

 mowing land. In the spring of 1831, I purchas- 

 ed of a neighbor for twenty dollars, the privilege 

 of conducting the water from a constant brook, 

 through his pasture, for the term of ten years; I 

 then made a canal or dittUi about fifty rods in 

 length, after constructing a wooden dam across the 

 brook ; and on the 31st of April conducted the 

 water on to one acre of sandy field land. This 

 land has a gentle slope towards the south, had 

 been four years in grass and the average crop was 

 about one half ton. I stopped the flowing of the 

 water, Jiuie 25th. The hay when nuide was es- 

 timated by judicious neighbors to be two tons. 



In 1832, I continued and extended the experi- 

 ment. On the acre above named, I obtained 

 two-thirds as much hay as last year. On the two 

 acres, covered with water, for the first season, I 

 obtained by estimation three tons of clover hay. 

 Method of flowing the same as in 1831. 



In 1833, I applied a light top dressing of com- 

 post manure, which I obtained by ploughing a 

 yard where I had watered my cattle one winter, 

 ft amounted to about four cords, was mixed fine, 

 thrown into a heap where it laid through one 

 winter, and was spread in the spring. I obtained 

 this year by estimation from 23 to 27 cwt. per 

 acre. 



In 1834 in the spring, I spread on about four 

 acres eight cords of compost manure which I 

 bought for $2,50 per cord. The water was used 

 as in former years. The crop of hay has been 

 estimated by several farmers at from 30 to 40 cwt. 

 per acre. 



It is not in my power to detail accurately the 

 manner of using the water, as no two seasons are 

 alike. Observation and judgment are required to 

 know how and when to ajiply the water. I let 

 the water on whenever we have a severe shower 

 for the benefit of the wash, which as you will 

 perceive on viewing the hind and brook, is great. I 

 consider the water of greater benefit when the sun 

 shines, than in cloudy weather at the same tem- 

 perature, as the water draws the sun, and the 

 warmer the water is, the faster the grass will grow. 

 In the season of 1832 the frequent rains deceived 

 me : on such sandy land we have seldom rain 

 enough to supply the wants of the grass : in that 

 year I think I did not bring on water enough. 

 The actual expense of my experiment and the top 

 dressing I have named, I estimate at .'ii58,00. 

 Resjjectfully submitted by 



Ebenezeu Jenkins. 

 Jndover, Sept. Uth, 1834. 



REPORT ON CIDER. 



The Committee on Cider, consisting of Daniel 

 Fuller, Thomas Perley, William Thurlow and 

 Jesse Putnam, Report as follows : 



That there were four barrels of cider presented 

 for premium, all of which was good, but the com- 

 mittee were of opinion that there was none of an 

 extra quality, and by the rules prescribed them by 

 the Trustees of the Society, do not feel at liberty to 

 award either of the |)remiuins. The committee feel 

 much regret that the liberal premiums oflcred by 

 the Society for eider of extra quality should not 

 excite more interest among the Agriculturists of 



the County of Essex, abounding with fine or- 

 chards, and only requiring care in the manufac- 

 ture, and attention to the fermentation, to produce 

 a beverage hardly surpassed by any of the foreign 

 juice of the grape. And as they have reason to 

 believe that apples are not plenty the present sea- 

 son in the county of Essex, they indijlge in the 

 hope that the leisure will be improved in a lauda- 

 ble competition for the premiums of 1835, should 

 the Society offer them as usual. 



Dean Robinson, Chairm,an. 



REPORT ON PLOUGHING — DOUBLE 

 TEAMS. 



The Committee on Ploughing with Double 

 Teams, consisting of Hobart Clark, Moses New- 

 el!, Nathan Pearson, Samuel Walton, and Jede- 

 diali H. Barker, Report : 



That correct ploughing is the first and great 

 lesson to be taught and impressed upon a farmer, 

 and this consists in turning properly a straight fur- 

 row at a suitable and regular depth. 



That this lies at the bottom, and is the ground 

 work of good husbandry, nmch more so than far- 

 mers in general are aj)t to imagine. 



There were eight teams entered for premium, 

 and eight lots of twentyeight rods each. One 

 team withdrew ; the others ploughed as follows, 

 viz : 



2 Hector Coffin ploughed 32 furrows 51 minutes, 



3 Jared Kimball " 25 " 36 " 



4 John B. Savory " 24 " 35 " 



5 Daniel Moulton " 32 " 68 « 



6 Samuel Bradstreet 32 " 66 " 



7 Jesse Shelden " 28 " 60 " 



8 William Foster, 3d 27 " 65 " 



The Committee would observe that the work 

 was in general remarkably well done, several of 

 the lots so nearly equal that they found difficulty 

 in awarding the premiums. 



The lots No. three and four, were ploughed re- 

 markably quick but not of sufficient depth, and 

 the furrows considerably wider than others and on 

 the whole not as well turned. It is believed the 

 most of success was mainly owing to the structure 

 of the ploughs. 



Lot No. two, was well ploughed, but much more 

 time was taken in doing it than any other one. 



The four remaining stood very near each other 

 in point of merit, but after a careful examination 

 we agree to report as follows : 

 The first premium to Samuel Bradstreet, $12,00 

 The seconil premium to Daniel Moulton, 10,00 

 The third premium to William Foster, 3d 8,00 

 The fourth premium to Jesse Shelden, 6,00 



All which is respectfully submitted. 



Per order, Hobart A. Clark. 



REPORT ON PLOUGHING — SINGLE 

 TEAMS. 



The Committee on ploughing with one yoke 

 of Oxen, consisting of Amos Kimball of Boxford, 

 John Narthend of Byfield, David Sawyer of West 

 Newbury, William Spoft'ord of Rowley, and 

 Richard Heath of West Newbury, ask leave to 

 report : 



That but three teams were entered, and that 

 number ploughed. The land was laid out in lots 

 of about 20 rods each, and was drawn for audi 

 ploughed in the following maimer, viz. 



Lot No. 1. John Broklehauk, of Rowley, bisr 



