REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE ON FARMS. 



Report of the Committee on the Farm of Elijah H. Kimball, at 



Flatlandsj L, L 



The Committee on farms, appointed by the Board of Agricul- 

 ture of the American Institute, to examine the farms offered in 

 ompetition for the »premium, "For the best cultivated Farm,** 

 respectfully report, that 



Your Committee on the 6th of September, visited the farm of 

 Elijah H Kimball, Esq., in the town of Flatlands, Kings county, 

 Long Island, about 7^ miles from Fulton Ferry. This farm is 

 bounded on the south-east by a creek or bog, north-east by a 

 small fresh vrater creek running into the bog, and westerly by a 

 broad aven«e, and contains about 100 acres of arable or plough 

 land, not including a large tract of salt meadow covered with a 

 rich crop of black grass. With the exception of the boundary 

 fence, there are none on the farm. Mr. K. has adopted the soil- 

 ing system, so common in England, it having many advantages on 

 a farm like his. The cattle are kept in a yard, and fed from one 

 quarter of the ground required to pasture them, if permitted to 

 run at large in the field, to destroy more than they consume ; 

 they will give more milk and keep in better order, especially ia 

 hot weather, as they can resort to the sheds, and be protected 

 from the scorching rays of the sun. There is another important 

 item gained by yarding cattle — the saving of the manure. This 

 alone is worth all the labor and expense of cutting and carrying 

 the grass to the yard. 



The lawn in front and the yards in the rear of the house, con- 

 tain about four acres; the former contains almost evety species 



