No. 199. 1 103 



11 of potatoes, making m all 30 acres. In preparing these 30 acres, 

 Mr. T. employed two men and a boy. This small amount of hired 

 labor is worthy of being noted, as having a direct bearing upon the 

 cost and profits of the crops. These two men and the boy were em- 

 ployed two weeks in planting the corn and potatoes, and 16 days in. 

 hoeing, Mr. Townsend himself rendering little or no assistance. 

 After this the boy, with one horse, " kept the cultivator going," and 

 this, without doubt, kept the corn " going."' The result cannot be 

 otherwise than gratifying. What the yield per acre will be, can onlj 

 be " guessed" at ; but as Mr. Townsend has promised to furnish the 

 Institute with the necessary statistics, this yankce feat may be dis- 

 pensed with. The committee do not assert that this is the best field 

 of corn that they have ever seen ; enough has been said, howerer, to 

 show that the crop will be a very profitable one. What struck them 

 particularly was the small cost of its production ; and it may be added 

 that Mr. T. observes the same rigid system of economy in all his 

 farming operations, and gets well remunerated. To place this in a 

 clearer light, a few remarks are appendeded in regard to Mr. T's 

 method of preparing his peat manure ; indeed, his process of making 

 manure is the distinguishing feature of his farm ; he has in fact, a veri- 

 table manure manufactory, and material enough to keep his " opera- 

 tors" busy for a century. On the farm are many acres of humus or 

 peat, of as fine quality as eyes ever beheld. It was 17 years before 

 Mr. Townsend discovered this treasure ; for treasure it will prove to 

 any farmer who is so fortunate as to possess it, and w^ho, at the same 

 time, knows how to appreciate its value. It is believed that the ma- 

 jority of farmers have a little "placer" here and there, but mostly- 

 unknown, or, if known, not considered to contain any " precious ore.'* 

 Our farmers, on this particular subject, have much to learn ; it is very 

 gratifying to be able to add, that some of them have taken the sub- 

 ject up in good earnest. Much might be said here if the limits 

 of this report permitted. Suflfice it that Mr. Townsend has a just 

 appreciation of the value of his " placer," and works it to some pur- 

 pose. Very briefly, he digs out this peat (so called) and throws it 

 up in heaps to drain off the surplus moisture. When sufficiently 

 dry, it is carted to the manure " manufactory," or, in other words, 

 the pig pen, which is divided into four compartments, containing f'-oia. 



