fc**l UMA5S/AMHERST 31EDbbDD5aOHcIH4 LIBRARY OF THE fP^H tw MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 3 73 5m-12-*29. J. B27 — V.l m80-IS93 DATE DUE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT AMHERST 4 V-7 C-y LIBRARY CO - INQUIRIES BY THE Agricultural ^ocietv* G>3o.o& M 3% 8?o»/S1S With a view to collecl the mojl accurate Information on the principal Branches of Agriculture, as now prafiifed, and thus be enabled to propagate the knowledge of whatever Jlmll be found ufeful ; and to open more wide the way for future improvements, the following Inquiries are addrefjed to Mr. ly the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture. >ee-®6>®(S>"*£;,-®®®'&je< \./~\£ what quantity of land do the Farms in your \J vicinity generally confiil ? II. WHAT is the quality of the Soil ? CO CT5 III. INTO what portions of Pafture, Mowing and Tillage, Orcharding and Wood, are Farms uiually divided ? Are the Orchards improving or declining? Do they yield a competent fupply of Cider ? IV. HOW much land on each Farm is annually (on an average ofyears) planted or fown withGrain cf any kind ? V. IN what manner is the land prepared,manur- cd, and feeded with each kind of Grain3 and what js a medium Crop ? VI. In what manner is Indian Corn cultivates and what is the medium Crop on an Acre ? VII. WHAT is the quantity and value of the Straw on an Acre of Barley, Rye, Oats and Wheat xefpeclively ? And to how much Upland Hay arc they refpeclively equivalent for Fodder ? VIII. WHAT is the value of Straw of ea*ch kind, for any purpofe, other than Fodder or Litter ? IX. WHAT is the value of the Stover or Stalks on an Acre of Indian Corn, and to what quantity of Upland Hay is it equivalent for Fodder ? '-- WHAT quantity of land, on a medium Farm, h annual v planted with Potatoes ?- How s the land p epavc 1 ? What quantity and kind of manure land prepare . Manner ?— is applied to an xycic, ^^i . ? Ho v much feed i, uied, and how is itfeleded? Sow are they cultivated, and what is a medium XI HOW many bufliels of Potatoes are equiva- lent, ordinarily, to one bufhel of Indian Com, for c le? XII. HOW many days labour of a man are ufually employed on an Acre of Indian Corn, in- cluding the getting in all the Stover and dripping the Hulks from the Ears ? B 11 XII!. WHAT is the labour of Shelling ioo bufliels cilr.dian Corn, and in what manner is it Performed ? XIV. HOW many days Labour of a man are ufually employed on an Acre of Potatoes, including the getting in the Crop ? XV. IS there any order or fucceffion of Crops known to be beneficial or pernicious to the Soil ?-— • If any, what is it ? XVI. WHAT is the ufual courfe of Crops ? XVII. WHAT is the medium quantity of Hay produced on an Acre of Upland, and what is the Labour of mowing, curing and houfing it ? *3 — _ _ XVIII. WHAT is the medium product of Hay, An an acre of frefli Meadow ; and what is the La- bour, of mowing,curing, and houfmg, or flacking it ? XIX. WHAT is the proportion of value which Freih Meadow Hay bears to Upland Hay, each be- jng of a medium quality ? XX. IS any Tillage land laid down with Grafs Seeds, without fowing grain at the fame Time ? If fo, which method is found bed: ? XXI. WHAT are the kinds of Grafs cut on the Upland for Hay ? What proportion is from Seed (own by hand, and what are the kinds thus fown, and in what quantities rejpeflively per Acre ? '5 XXII. ARE any Grafs lands new feeded after fcarifying them with the Harrow only, or in any other mode, without plowing ? And what is the iuo £efs of fuch practice .? XXIII. WHAT weeds, vermin or infe&s infeil the mowing lands ,? XXIV. ARE the fpontaneous or cultivatedGrafs- es infefted mofl \ XXV. WHAT methods are ufed to deflroy weeds, vermin or infe&s, without ploughing the land, and what is their fuccefs \ XXVI. WHAT kinds of Beads, and in what numbers are they, refpe&ively, kept on medium Farms \ And how are they fubfifted \ 2L XXVII. IN what place and in what manner are the Cattle fed with the coarfe winter .Fodder ? Is it given in the liable, in the yard or the field ? Is it chopped or given whole ? . XXVIII. HOW much Butter is ufually made iit a year from a Cow, all the cream being churned ? And how much Ikim-milk Cheefe is made from thi* fame Cow ? XXIX. WHAT Food is given to Sheep befides Grafs and Hay ? XXX. WHAT is the Value of the Subfiftence of a Sheep through the year, befides the Pafturage ? XXXI. WHAT is the Value of Pafturage for Sheep compared with the Pafturage of a Cow ? C i. -11 XXXII. WHAT is the ordinary Weight and Value of theFlefh of a Sheep when fit for the Butch- er ? And what is the Quantity of Wool in a Fleece I XXXIII. WHAT Breed of Swine are propaga- ted ? How are they fed — How fatted ? At what age are they killed ; and what do they then weigh ? XXXIV. WHAT number of Bee-hives are kept, what is their product in Honey and Wax — what is the management — and what are the Obftacles which difcourage their extenfive propagation ? XXXV. WHAT is the ufual quantity of land fowed with Flax-feed ? How is it manured and cultivated ? And what is the medium, Produce of Flax and Seed in quantity and value ? 21 XXXVI. HOW much Labour is employed on a quarter of an Acre of Flare, before it comes to the Spinner, and including the preparing the Seed ior market ? XXXVII. IN what articles confifts the Surplus of the Farmer, which is ibid or exchanged for other articles ? XXXVIII. HOW many Loads of Manure are collected (eftimating 30 bufhels to a Load,) from the Cattle in the Barn-yard, of a medium Farm, in a year — fpecifying the number and kinds of Cattle kept on the fame Farm, and the manner in which they are kept in relation to confinement or ranging abroad ? a3 XXXIX. WHAT Quantity of Manure is made m the Hog-pen ? — fpeciiying the number of Swine fatted, the kind and quantity of Food confumed, and the weight of Flefli produced I XL. WHAT methods are ufed to enlarge the quantity, improve the quality or prevent wafle of the Manure, made in the Barn-yard or Hog-pen* and efpecially to lave the Stale of the Cattle ? XLI. IS the manure and tillage Labour exclufive^ ly applied to the beft parts of each Farm ? XLII. IN what manner and for what purpofes is Manure ufed, except thofe indicated in the fore* going inquiries? 1L XLIil. Wit \f other Manures are ufed befides thofe created by the Stock, and what are their merits compared with theie ? XLIV. IS Limeftone found in your vicinity ? 1$ it ufed as a manure ? XLV. IS Buck-wheat cultivated for the Food it yields ? Or is it ufed to cleanfe the foil from weeds, to fertilife and enrich it, or for any other purpofe ? — i XL VI. IN what Manner are new Lands brought under Cultivation ? Is it cuftomary to plant Orchards in the new fettlements ? *m i XLV1T. HOW is Land cleared, which buflies and v.nder-brufh have overrun, fince the trees Were carried off ? XLVIII. WHAT is done with Swamps, or Swampy Lands ? — » XLTX. IS the growth of Wood for timber and fuel equivalent to the confumption in your vicinity r — If not, what mcafures are taken to pro- vide agaiiift the inconvenience of future fcarcity f \ L, ARE Wood-lots generally fenced, or left open for cattle to range in without reftraint ? la getting your Wood for fuel, do you pick the oldeft trees, or do you cut clear ? Which method is belt calculated to increafe the value of your Wood jUnds ? BOSTON: JMNTEP BY TOUNGV MINNS, PRINTERS TO THE STAT*. MDCCC. \ \ RY of th§ 3HU SETTS JLTURAL, • COLLEGB INQUIRIES BY THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. With a view to collect the most accurate information on the principal branches of Agriculture, as now practised, and thus be enabled to propagate the knowledge of whatever shall be found useful ; and to open more wide, the way for future improve- ments, the following inquiries are addressed to by the Trustees of the Massachusetts Societv for Promoting Agriculture. I. OF what quantity of land do the Farms in your vicinity generally consist? II. WHAT is the quality of the Soil? III. INTO what portions of Pasture, Mowing and Tillage, Orcharding and Wood, are Farms usually divided ? Are the Orchards improving or declining ? Do they yield a competent supply of Cider ? IV HOW much land on each Farm, is annually, (on an average of years,) planted or sown with Gram of any kind ? V. IN what manner is the land prepared, manured, and seeded with each kind of Grain, and what is a medium Crop ? VI. IN what manner is Indian Corn cultivated, and what is the medium Crop on an Acre ? VII. WHAT is the quantity and value of the Straw on an Acre of Barley, Rye, Oats and Wheat respectively ? And to how much Upland Hay are they respectively equivalent for Fodder ? VIII. WHAT is the value of Straw of each kind, for any purpose, other than Fodder or Litter ? IX. WHAT is the value of the Stover or Stalks on an Acre of Indian Corn, and to what quantity of Upland Hay is it equivalent for Fodder? X. WHAT quantity of land, on a medium Farm, is annually planted with Potatoes ? — How is the land prepared ? What quantity and kind of manure is ap- plied to an Acre, and in what Manner ? — How much seed is used, and how is it selected ? How are they cultivated, and what is a medium Crop ? XL HOW many bushels of Potatoes are equiva- lent, ordinarily, to one bushel of Indian Corn, for Sale? XII. HOW many days labour of a man, are usually employed on an Acre of Indian Corn, including the getting in all the Stover and stripping the Husks from the Ears ? XIII. WHAT is the labour of Shelling a hundred bushels of Indian Corn, and in what manner is it performed ? XIV. HOW many days Labour of a man are usually employed on an Acre of Potatoes, including the getting in the Crop ? XV. IS there any order or succession of Crops known to be beneficial or pernicious to the Soil ?•— If any, what is it ? XVI. WHAT is the usual course of Crops ? XVII. WHAT is the medium quantity of Hay produced on an Acre of Upland, and what is the ■Labour of mowing, curing and housing it? 2 II XVIII. WHAT is the medium product of Hay, on an Acre of fresh Meadow; and what is the Labour of mowing, curing, and housing, or stacking it ? XIX. WHAT is the proportion of value which Fresh Meadow Hay bears to Upland Hay, each being of a medium quality ? XX. IS any Tillage land laid down with Grass Seeds, without sowing Grain at the same time ? If so, which method is found best ? XXI. WHAT are the kinds of Grass cut on the Upland for Hay? What proportion is from Seed sown by hand, and what are the kinds thus sown, and in what quantities respectively per Acre ? 13 XXII. ARE any Grass lands new seeded after scarifying them with the Harrow only, or in any other mode, without ploughing? And what is the success of such practice ? XXIII. WHAT weeds, vermin or insects infest the mowing lands ? XXIV. ARE the spontaneous or cultivated Grass- es infested most ? XXV. WHAT methods are used to destroy weeds, vermin or insects, without ploughing the land3 and what is their success ? XXVI. WHAT kinds of Beasts, and in what numbers are they, respectively, kept on medium Farms ? And how are they subsisted ? 15 XXVIII. IN what place and in what manner are the Cattle fed with the coarse winter Fodder ? Is it given in the stable, in the yard or the field? Is it chopped or given whole ? XXVIII, HOW much Butter is usually made in a year from a Cow, all the cream being churned ? And how much skim-milk Cheese is made from this same Cow ? XXIX. WHAT Food is given to Sheep besides Grass and Hay ? XXX. WHAT is the Value of the Subsistence of a Sheep through the year, besides the Pasturage ? XXXI. WHAT is the Value of Pasturage for a Sheep compared with the Pasturage of a Cow ? I? XXXII. WHAT is the ordinary Weight and Value of the Flesh of a Sheep when fit for the Butch- er ? And what is the Quantity of Wool in a Fleece ? XXXIII. WHAT Breed of Swine are propaga- ted How are they fed — How fatted ? At what age are they killed ; and what do they then weigh? XXXIV. WHAT number of Bee-hives are kept, what is their product in Honey and wax — what is the management — and what are the Obstacles which discourage their extensive propagation ? XXXV. WHAT is the usual quantity of land sowed with Flax-seed ? How is it manured and cul- tivated ? And what is the medium produce of Flax and Seed in quantity and value ? 3 19 XXXVI. HOW much Labour is employed on a quarter of an acre of Flax, before it comes to the Spinner, and including the preparing the Seed for market ? XXXVII. IN what articles consists the Surplus of the Farmer, which is sold or exchanged for other articles ? XXXVIII. HOW many Loads of Manure are collected (estimating 30 bushels to a Load,) from the Cattle in the Barn-yard, of a medium Farm, in a year— specifying the number and kinds of Cattle kept on the same Farm, and the manner in which they are kept in relation to confinement or ranging abroad ? 21 XXXIX. WH\T Quantity of Manure is made in the Hog-pen? — specifying the number of Swine fatted, the kind and quantity of Food consumed, and the weight of Flesh produced ? XL. WHAT methods are used to enlarge the quantity, improve the quality, or prevent waste of the Manure made in the Barn-yard or Hog-pen, and especially to save the Stale of the Cattle ? XLI. IS the manure and tillage labour exclusively applied to the best parts of each Farm ? XLII. IN what manner and for what purposes is Manure used, except those indicated in the forego- ing inquiries ? XLIII. WHAT other Manures are used besides those created by the Stock, and what are their merits compared with these ? 23 XLIV. IS Limestone found in your vicinity ? Is it used as a manure ? XLV. IS Buck-wheat cultivated for the Food it yields ? Or is it used to cleanse the soil from weeds, to fertilize and enrich it, or for any other purpose ? XLV I. IN what manner are new Lands brought under Cultivation ? Is it customary to plant Orchards in the new settlements ? XLV II. HOW is Land cleared, which bushes and under-brush have overrun, since the trees were car- ried off? XLVIII. WHAT is done with Swamps, or Swampy Lands ? A 25 XLIX. IS the growth of Wood for timber and fuel equivalent to the consumption in your vicinity ? If not, what measures are taken to provide against the inconvenience of future scarcity ? L. ARE Wood-lots generally fenced, or left open for cattle to range in without restraint ? In getting your Wood for fuel, do you pick the oldest tress, or do you cut clear ? Which method is best calculated to increase the value of your Wood lands ? LI. WHAT are the causes that the culture of Wheat can no longer be pursued on the sea coast of New-England. LII. HOW far has Gypsum (Plaister of Paris) been fairly tried as a manure in the maritime parts of this state, what have been the effects of the expert ment ? 4 27 LIII. IS the European practice of a succession of Crops found to be expedient in this country, and in what order ought such a succession to take place ? LIV. IS it perfectly ascertained, that with proper attention to Manuring the land, it is more advanta- geous to change the crops than to keep it in Grass ? L V. IS there any crop so profitable as Grass, tak- ing into view the state of markets in our country, and the distance at which most of our farmers are from a market ? LVI. CAN the Farmers raise any crop which, on the whole, affords them so great a profit as Grass, un- less they are within twenty miles of the capital ? LVH. WHAT are the most profitable Crops which the state of Massachusetts, taking one year with an- other, furnishes ? 29 LVIII. WHAT has been found to be the differ- ence of profit between the Merino Sheep and the Sheep which formed our former stock ? LIX. IS there any cheap Fodder which can be raised for Sheep, during the winter, which will super- cede or will diminish the consumption of Hay ? LX. WHAT is the comparative profit of a farm, adapted to the raising of Sheep, between the cultiva- tion of Merinos, and the raising of any other cattle ? LXI. IS there any profit derived from the raising; of Indian Corn, except for the subsistence of man, which can equal the employment of the same land in raising Grass for the supporc of Sheep and Cattle during the winter — what are the calculations on which such profits are founded ? 31 LXII. WHAT are the improvements in Dairies which have been made within the last twenty years ? Is the quality of the Butter and Cheese improved, and in what consists this improvement, and what are its causes ? LXIII. ARE there any improvements in the Tools of husbandry, which experience has confirmed, and what are these improvements ? LXIV. ARE there any new and valuable Fruits or productions, either contributing to the pleasure or profit of the citizens at large — what are they, what the mode of culture, and what their qualities ? LXV. ARE there any improvements in the breed of Cattle — what are they, what their qualities, and where can they be obtained ? LXVI. Are there any other improvements (not comprised under the article of manufactures) which have been made in any branch of Agriculture ? i