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NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



FEBRUARY 33, 18! r. 



fFortlie New England Farmer.] 

 AGRICrLTVRAL. TRANSACTIONS. 



'« The Coinniittee ajipoiiited l>y tlie Trustees of 

 " the iMassaeljusetts Society fur the promotion of 

 Agriculture," to examine tlie claims for Grain 

 Crops — Report as follows : 



The past season having heen uufavirahle for 

 ' production, the applicatiotjs were hut few in num- 

 ber. 



This was a source of re^'rot, as the object most 

 wished for by the Society, is ever to procure and 

 to disseminate the best results from llie various 

 practices of skilful agriculturists, so tliat every 

 discovery and improvement may he availed of, 

 and spread before tho community, for the benefit 

 of the country. 



Whilst the Connnittee ofler this in excuse for 

 the lack of experiment and application — anil la- 

 ment the want of individual exertion — they yet 

 feel constrained to a<lmit that there seems to be a 

 disposition in our Farmers to cling too much to 

 ancient practices, as if no new light was to he at- 

 taineil by any further research. This too prevails 

 at a time when the ditl'usion of knowledge in all 

 the arts and professions of life, affords so much 

 room for hope and gratification in prospective. — 

 Why might not the eft'oris and successful prac- 

 tice abroad, be looked to with advantage ? Can 

 nothing be gained from their modes of culture .' 

 Is there no benefit in the uses of marl, li'iie salt, 

 &c., with their paring, burning and adnii.Mure of 

 differerit soils, as in constant practice and compe- 

 tition amongst their farmers.' This zeal and 

 spirit is commendable, at least of which we have 

 the evidence in our present supplies by imporUi- 

 tion. 



Shall we allow it to be said -whilst ingenuity 

 and enterprise, skill and discovery are the distin- 

 guishing traits of our countrymen in other respects, 

 that our fathers have acquired the extent of capa- 

 bility in the improvement of soil .' Wo .nust not 

 acquiesce in this, but look to better things. 



The liberality of the State justly calls for fur- 

 ther exertion. The efJbrts of the Society are in 

 constant exercise ; their income is cheerfully 

 awarded with the cherished hope that they may 

 in some degree, promote the interests and pros- 

 perity of agriculture. Our earnest hope is that 

 these motives may be duly estimated. 



The Committee recommend that the premium 

 of twenty dollars be paid to Edward C. Sparhawk 

 of Brighton, in Middlesex County, for a crop of 

 Rye, raised on 5 acres 1 1-2 rods of land, mak- 

 ing an average of about thirtyfive bushels to the 

 acre. 



The course of practice of Mr Sparhawk, ap- 

 pears to have been judicious, and no inducement 

 vyas given to the misuse of this staff of life in its 

 conversion into ardent spirits. 



How painful is it to read in a time of scarcity 

 like the present, that on its arrival at a neighbor- 

 ing port, fourteen thousand bushels of Rye were 

 bought for the distillery! ! What a loss of human 

 comfort and happiness, by the conversion of the 

 means of sustenance into a deadly poison has this 

 effected ! I 



The Committee further recommend, that a pre- 

 mium of twenty dollars he jjaid to William Car- 

 ter of Fitchburg, in the County of Worcester, for 

 a crop of 69 1-2 bushels of Barley, raised on one 

 acre of land. This was tho more remarkable, a< 

 no manure was' used on the land at the last year. 



Where a large crop is expected at the laying 

 down to irait!, the benefit of the plough seems 

 lessened, when a dressing of maiiure is not afford- 

 ed at this period : but the difficulty of an even 

 application, in the spreading thereof, and the lodg- 

 ing of the grain where this is not well effected, 

 and the soil induces farmers in general to refrain 

 as was the fact in this case. 



All which is submitted. Per order of the Com- 

 mittee. John Wellks, Chairman. 



Brighton, Nov. 23, 1836. 

 Benj. Guild, Esq. Boston, 



Sir : — Noticing a premium offered by the Mas- 

 sachusetts Agricultural Society, for the greatest 

 quantity of Rye raised on an acre, the following 

 is an account of a crop of rye that I raised on about 

 five acres of land in one piece, and harvested in 

 July, 1836. The land was broken up in the an. 

 tumn of 1S32, a part of which was ploughed at 

 the Cattle Show in that year. In the spring of 

 1833, the laud was not ploughed, but was well 

 harrowed and manured in the furrow with about 

 20 cords of compost iTiauurc, part bone manure, 

 and part from the yard of our barn ; then planted 

 with corn, potatoes and vegetables for the market. 

 The land was ploughed in the autumn of 1833, 

 and in the spring of 1834, I manured with a coni- 

 [lost of about eight cords from the slaughter yard, 

 with which was mixed about 3 cords of swamp 

 nnid, that was carted into said yard the year pre- 

 vious. About one cord of loam, and about one 

 hundred and fifty bushels cf leached ashes, the 

 remainder was stable manure, in all about twenty 

 five cords. Being all worked together, then spread, 

 ploughed, harrowed and furrowed, and planted as 

 the year'previous. In the autumn of 1834, the 

 land was well ploughed with one of Howard's 

 ploughs. In the winter following, I commenced 

 getting my manure on the land of which I should 

 judge not far from 30 cords similar to the prece- 

 ding years. In the spring, I commenced spread- 

 ing the manure, then ploughed, harrowed, fur- 

 rowed and planted as before stated. In SrjJtem- 

 ber, 1835, the crop being all removed, I commen- 

 ced ploughing the same, and on the first week in 

 October, I sowed on said five acres of land, in one 

 day and two hours, twelve bu.shels of Rye with 

 grass seed ; the land was then harrowed and bush- 

 eil,and in July, 1836, I harvested the rye that grew 

 on said five acres, all being in one piece, and when 

 threshed and clear from chaff, measured up 178 

 1-2 bushels, making an average of about thirty- 

 five bushels to the acre. The entire expense of 

 cultivation is estitnated at sixtytliive dollars, all 

 of which was performed without any ardent spir- 

 its being used. 



All which is respectfully submitted by 

 Yours, &c. 



Edward C. Sparhawk. 



Brighton, Not. 23, 1836. 

 This may certify that I was in the employment 

 of Mr Edward C. Sparhawk of Brighton, the past 

 season, and did assist in harvesting and measur- 

 ing up the Rye raised by him the past season, and 

 that the aforegoing statement by him subscribed, 

 is true according to the best of my knowledg-o and 

 belief. Silas Merf.ill. 



Brighton, Nov. 24, 1836. 

 This may certify that I have this day surveyed 

 a lot of land for Mr Edward C. Sparhawk of Brigh- 



ton, on which he raised a crop of winter rye the 

 present year, and find said lot to contain 5 asres, 

 one and a half rods, and no more. 



Kluah F. Woodward, Surveyor. 



Middlesex, 5S. Brighton, Not. 24, 1836. 



That the above named Elijah F. Woodward, 



personally appeared and made oath that the above 



certificate by him subscribed, is true according to 



the best of his knowledge and belief, before me 



Edward Sparhawk, J. P. 



FlTCHBDRG, Nov. 28, 1836. 

 To the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society fur the 

 Promotion of Agriculture. 



The undersigned, VNilliam Carter, of Fitchburg, 

 in the State of Massachusetts, presents himself as 

 a claimant fur the premium of the Massachusetts 

 Society for the promotion of Agriculture, for the 

 greatest quantity of Barley raised on one acre of 

 land the present year, and gives the following 

 statement respecting the same. The piece of land 

 ou which the above named crop of Barley was 

 raised, was ploughed from the green-sward in the 

 fall of 1834, and planted in the spring of 1835, 

 with Indian corn, and yielded but an ordinary 

 crop. The manure used the last year, was fer- 

 mented manure in common quantity, dropped in 

 the hill. The last spring it was in the hiil as it 

 was left when the corn was taken off, and first 

 split with the plough, and then was cross-ploirgh- 

 ed, and four bushels of the common two rowed 

 Barley was sown on the furrow, and harrowed in, 

 it was then sowed v%'itli grass seed, and rolled 

 with a common roller. No manure of any kind 

 was used on ithe land the present season. It was 

 sown the first of May, and harvested the middle 

 of August, threshed the last of October, and the 

 cro]i was ascertained by actual measurement to 

 be fifty-nine bushels. The entire expense of cul- 

 tivation was, Ploughing, S3,00 

 Harrowing, ],00 

 Seed, 4 bushelS; 4,00 

 Harvestiug, 3,00 

 Threshing, &c. 5,00 



$16,00 

 The seed was sown by John Stickney, who al- 

 so assisted to harvest, and measured the whole 

 crop, whose certificate is subjoined. I also en- 

 dorse the certificate of Philip Flowdin, Surveyor, 

 as to the quantity of land. W^m. Carter. 



I hereby certify that according to the best of 

 my knowledge and belief, the abdve statement is 

 true. JoH.N Stickney. 



Commomvealth of Massachusells : 



Worcester, ss. Nov. 28, 1836. 

 Then the above named William Carter and John 

 Stickney, appeared before me, and made oath to 

 the truth of the above statement. 



EbeNEZER ToRREl', J. P. 



FiTCHBORG, Oct. 15, 1836. 

 This is to certify that I, P. F. Cowdin of Fitch- 

 burg in the County of Worcester, being a sworn 

 Surveyor, have this day measured a j>iece of land 

 owned by William Carter of Fitchburg, aforesaid, 

 where barley grew this season, and find it to con- 

 tain one acre and no more. P. F. Ccwdin. 



