Essex Agricultural Society. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES, AND PREMIUMS AWARDED IN 1829; AND A LIST OF PREMIUMS OFFERED IN 1830: WITH REMARKS AND HINTS TO FARMERS, &c. PAMPHLET No. IX, 1829. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE SOCIETY....MARCH, 1830. SALEM: W. & S. B. IVES, PRINTERS....OBSERVER OFFICE. REPORTS OF THE Esser agricultural Society in 1829. I. ON THE MANAGEMENT OF FARMS. THE Committee of the Essex Agricultural Society for viewing farms, entered for premiums in 1829, have attended to that Bervice and submit the following REPORT. Six farms were entered for premiums, viz :- Moses Litttle, of West Newbury; Daniel Putnam, of Danvers; John Adams, David Gray, James Stevens, of Andover. These farms were examined by the Committee the first part of July, and again in September. The farm of Mr. Gould is situated in the north part of Ipswich, near Topsfield, and contains about three hundred acres, viz. 8 acres Corn and Potatoes 6 do. English grain 20 do. Upland mowing Meadow and Salt Marsh 35 do. 13 do. Waste land. The first 100 acres of this farm Mr. Gould purchased nineteen years ago, and the rest he has added at different times since. The committee were much pleased with the improvements made on this farm, by its present owner. These have been prosecuted with uncommon industry and perseverance. A great portion of this farm is a light gravelly soil, and the general aspect by no means promising. When Mr. Gould came into possession it was in a bad condition-had been occupied many years by tenants and the land exhausted, producing not more than three tons of English hay and 20 tons of meadow and salt hay in a year. Mr. Gould has built on it 700 rods of good substantial stone wall; planted 700 apple trees, a great portion of which bear fruit; has reclaimed three or four acres of wet meadow, and converted it into very productive grass land; besides erecting convenient barns and out houses for the use of the farm. He keeps from 20 to 30 head of cattle, and in summer takes 15 or 20 to pasture for others. This farm and the improvements, and stock on it, free from all debts and incumbrances, are entirely his own acquisition-the fruit of the industry and economy of himself and family. The farm of Mr. Little, in West Newbury, consists of about 100 acres. Twenty-four acres are improved for mowing and tillage, about 7 acres of which are in tillage annually; and two acres of fresh and salt meadow. His orchard, occupies about 10 acres exclusive of the trees by the fences inclosing his tillage land, and is used as a pasture for sheep and horses. There are 33 acres of pasture and 11 acres of wood-land. He has 50 pear trees, raised from the seed and grafted with various kinds of summer, autumn and winter pears-all of them in a bearing state; and 30 peach trees, which produce about 10 bushels annually. The soil on this farm is in general very good, and a great portion of it well cultivated, and produces good crops. Since the farm came into the possesson of Mr. Little, the produce has been nearly doubled. This has been done chiefly by making large quantities of manure, frequent ploughings, and top dressings where ploughing is not practicable. He cuts about 45 tons of hay-25 of which are good upland hay; and raises about 160 bushels of corn, 25 of wheat and 20 of oats. The buildings on this farm are convenient and well placed. Mr. Little is an ingenious mechanic, as well as a good farmer, and many of his farming utensils, as well as some of his buildings, are his own workmanship. Mr. Daniel Putnam's farm was so fully described, in the report of last year, that it is unnecessary to go into particulars the present. The committee remarked the steady and judicious course of management on this farm. Mr. Putnam observes the rule which every farmer should keep in mind, but which some enterprizing farmers forgot, viz: not to attempt more than he can perform, not |