442 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



PLOrOHING IN CLOVER. 



1 see in the Farmer allusions in regard to 

 plonghinK in clover for manure. I would like to 

 inquire the hest method cf doin^ it. I have heard 

 that out West when the soil gets exhausted they 

 plough and sow on plaster and clover seed, and 

 plough in a crop of clover. How would it work to 

 plough a piece of land in the spring, and sow on 

 plaster and clover seed ? Would the crop get up 

 large enough to plough in the tirst year ? J. M. 



Westminster, Vt., July, 1870. 



Remarks. — If sown quite early, on land pretty 

 rich and moist, we think there would, ordinarily, 

 be a good crop to plough under the same season. 

 The ploughing in a crop of clover has become 

 quite common in New England, as a manurial 

 agent, and we think will become general among 

 progressive farmers. It ought to be tried in vari- 

 ous ways, and at different seasons and reported, 

 so that all may have the benefit of experiments 

 made. 



If ploughing under clover, or any other green 

 crop, will enrich the soil, it would seem that every 

 farmer might keep his land in good condition if he 

 would be careful not to crop his mowing fields 

 until the roots of the grasses are exhausted, so as 

 not to afford a crop worth ploughing under. We 

 must plough more frequently, and while the land 

 is in condition to bring a fair crop to be mingled 

 with the soil and have a visible effect upon it. 



Where land will bring a second crop of grass of 

 a ton to the acre, that is frequently ploughed in, 

 and the land sowed to grass again at once, or left 

 for hoed crops, small grains or roots the next season. 



We have great confidence in the utility of plough- 

 ing in green crops, and hope the practice will be- 

 come universal among our people. 



MASSACHUSETTS AQ'L COLLEGE. 



With the annual examination of the classes, 

 which took place on Tuesday, August 2, the 

 third year of instruction in the Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College closed. Another class, 

 which will be added September 8, at the com- 

 mencement of the next term, and another 

 year of study and instruction, are still wanting 

 to put the institution in full working order. 

 Is this always remembered by those who are 

 looking for immediate results, and inquiring 

 what has been accomplished by the College ? 

 Next year, for the first time, the usual 'Com- 

 mencement" exercises will be held ; then the 

 first "rotation" of study and of classes will 

 be completed. 



Many farmers adopt a system of cultivation 

 and cropping which requires four years or 

 more to complete the course. In such case, 

 would it be just to base an opinion of the 

 benefit of (he rotation system on an observa- 

 tion of the results of the first two or three 



years' cropping? We admit that men do some- 

 times thus judge, and that diverse views are 

 expressed, for instance, of the profitableness 

 of the corn crop, which is usually the first one 

 in the imperfect system of rotation practiced 

 by New England farmers, without due con- 

 sideration of its connection with, or influence 

 on, the several crops of oats and grass 

 which follow. And in like manner, some are 

 disposed to form an opinion of the benefits of 

 an agricultural college by the results of the 

 first year or two of an incomplete course. 



The Amherst Record says the late examina- 

 tion was well attended, many strangers from' 

 out of town being present. The examina- 

 tions were held in the chapel, which was dec- 

 orated with green. The mottoes, "Practice 

 with Science," "Progress with Prudence," 

 were displayed very tastefully over the plat- 

 form. The young men acquitted themselves 

 well. The examinations were conducted in 

 the usual style by questions, the student being 

 required to turn and face the visitors. The 

 following studies included the course in which 

 the classes were examined : Geology, Veteri- 

 nary Science, Survejing and Drawing, Agri- 

 culture, History, Chemistry, and the Selection 

 and Care of Farm Stock. The latter was 

 conducted in the yard ai^ joining the farm barn, 

 and the students were, in turn, called upon to 

 point out the different parts of the animal un- 

 der consideration. 



During the evening a levee was held at 

 President Clark's residence, at which mem- 

 bers of the Board of Agriculture, Trustees of 

 the College, the Faculty, and students and in- 

 vited guests were present. 



Wednesday morning, at half past eight 

 o'clock, the students were exercised in infan- 

 try tactics, under the direction of Captain 

 Alvord, the officers of the different classes 

 taking turns in handling the company. The 

 movements of the company were well execut- 

 ed. The students are hereafter to be drilled 

 in artillery practice, a section of artillery hav- 

 ing arrived for that purpose. 



The number of students is not far from a 

 hundred, but not so large as stated in last 

 winter's report to the legislature, several be- 

 ing obliged to leave for different reasons. 



—Many of the farmers of Orleans County, Vt., 

 are saving grass seed this year. 



