STATEMENT OF COMPETITORS. To the Committee on Crops, of the York County Agricultural Society: GENTLEMEN:-I would call your attention to the products of one-half acre of corn, planted the last part of May, 1850. I managed as follows:-First, I spread barn manure before plowing, plowed and harrowed as usual, furrowed my rows about three and a-half feet apart, dressed in hills two and a-half feet apart, with compost, hoed twice, as usual; raised three large carts full of pumpkins, three and a-half bushels beans, harvested first October. I raised, as we measured the ears, ninety-four bushels of ears of good sound corn, and shelling and measuring by the same basket, I had forty-eight and a-half bushels of shelled corn. All which I would respectfully submit. DIMON ROBERTS. LYMAN, January 1, 1851. Then personally appeared, Seth B. Whitten, and stated that he helped cut up, and measure both land and corn, and made oath in due form of same, that the statements above are true. Before me, JAMES W. ROBERTS, Justice of the Peace. SACO, November 4, 1850. Surveyed for Mr. E. P. Dennett, of Saco, one-half acre of land planted to cabbage, one-third acre to turnips, and one-third to carrots. There were two lots of the cabbages-on one of which were 1,452 heads, valued at 4 cents each, On the other were 1,727 at 7 cents each, Total, $58 08 120 89 The above cabbages were grown about one-half on greensward plowed last spring-the other half on land planted to potatoes the year preceding-all dressed with compost manure made of seaweed, fish offal, barn dressing, ashes, sawdust, dirt, &c. Those on the greensward were planted in drills and were the best cabbages. Those on the old ground were set in drills about the middle of June-a part was what is called early drumhead, and a part Savoy or curly cabbage. The carrot lot surveyed by Mr. H. Kimball-one-third acrewas dressed with the same kind of compost as the cabbage, and produced two hundred and fifteen bushels on the one-third acre, weighing at the rate of 52 pounds to the bushel, as some were carted immediately from the field to the scale. Mr. Kimball surveyed one-third of an acre of the turnip lot, which he measured and found was about one hundred and eighty bushels-there was some more than an acre in the whole piece, but there had been several bushels taken up for the market, and we judged we had over five bushels in all. This lot was sowed to turnips last season, and after the turnips were gathered, I sowed to winter rye which was plowed in about the 20th of June last-then drilled about two feet apart with a horse plow-then ashed in the drill with leached ashes. After they had been up about three weeks I ashed them with dry ashes, about two hundred and thirty bushels in all. E. P. DENNETT. I helped Mr. Dennett gather the carrots and turnips, and helped measure the same. I think the above statement is correct. D. M. BOYINGTON. ON PLOWING. Your Committee on Plowing have attended to the duty assigned them, and ask leave to report: There were but two teams entered for premiums, to wit: one by Wilson T. Fall of Berwick, of four oxen, and one by Paul Hussey of North Berwick, of one yoke of oxen four years old, and one yoke of two years old steers. Your committee have awarded the premiums in the following manner, viz: The society's second premium of two dollars to Paul Hussey; and recommend a gratuity of two dollars to Wilson T. Fall. There was a difference of but one minute in the time in which the competitors performed their work, the average being twentyseven minutes. Mr. Fall gained the ascendency in time, each team plowing one-eighth of an acre. We are aware that the ox team had the advantage over the steer team, in consequence of age and strength, while the steer team had the advantage over the ox team, in consequence (as we believe) of using the best plow. Your committee regret to find so few competitors for this most important branch of agriculture. In awarding the premiums, we were not guided altogether by the time occupied by them, but by the manner in which the work was done, and think there is yet a chance for improvement. Your committee are of opinion that the slap jack mode of plowing, as it leaves the surface of the field smoother, the sod rots quicker, and the ground is better prepared to endure the drought, is preferable, although some are of opinion that narrow lapping furrows are the best. All which we would respectfully submit. DIMON ROBERTS, Chairman. ON FRUIT. Your committee are happy to report a finer display of fruit at this time than at any previous show of the society, and rejoice that this branch of the agricultural interests of York county is beginning to receive the attention which its importance demands; for nowhere can fine fruit be grown in greater perfection, or with more profit than here. They would recommend increasing care in the selection of varieties adapted to the climate, and the bestowment of higher cultivation upon their orchards. There were exhibited by William A. Hayes, South Berwick, fifteen varieties of apples finely grown and of beautiful appearance, and regret that the names did not accompany so good a display of fruit, as visitors thus do not obtain the information desirable. John Rogers, Kittery, exhibited seventeen varieties of apples-Orange Sweet, Rhode Island Greening, Sweet Russet, Hubbardston Nonsuch, Fall Harvey, Baldwin, Roxbury Russet, Pearmain, Sweet Bough, and several others. John S. Murch, Hollis, several kinds without names. Luther Goding, Acton-Porter, Baker's Sweet or Robert's Sweet, Baldwin and a large sweet apple without name-all fine and well grown. Charles Shapleigh, Lebanon-Rhode Island Greening, Baldwin, Porter, New York Pippin, Pound Sweet, and a seedling of promising appearance, known as the Shapleigh apple; also a twig of three feet in length, bearing forty Baldwins. A. M. Payson—Rhode Island Greening, Honey Sweet, Roxbury Russet, Long Graft, Pie apple, Broadwell, Quince apple, and two others. I. Doe, of Rollinsford, New Hampshire, exhibited perhaps the fairest and handsomest dishes of apples-Porter, New York Pippin, Baldwin, Limber-twig, Greening, and two others which were upon the tables. Had these been grown in the county, they would have received a premium. Joseph Frost, Eliot, a dish of apples without name. Charles E. Norton, South Berwick, a basket of Pound Sweets, of large size, fair and beautiful. Joseph Fogg, Eliot-Baldwin apples. Benjamin Nason, South Berwick-dish Blue Pearmain, very fine. Brackett Hall, Berwick-Baldwin and Cathead apples, large and fair. Benjamin Kennard, Eliot-Baldwin apples, well grown and fine. S. L. Goodale, Saco-Gravenstien, Porter, Rock Sweet, Baldwin, Beefsteak, Orange Sweet, Ribston Pippin-good specimens. Dimon Roberts, Lyman-Baker's Sweet, Maiden's Blush, Spitzenburg, Honey Sweet. Eben Hobbs of North Berwick and L. Brackett, also exhibited apples of several varieties, and some were shown of which we were unable to learn the names, numbers or owners. The premiums are awarded as follows: to William A. Hayes, South Berwick, for the greatest variety and best grown apples, Geo. A. Shapleigh, Lebanon, second best bushel autumn apples, Porter, $2.00 Benjamin Nason, South Berwick, best dish of apples, 1.00 1 00 50 1 00 50 1 00 1 00 1.00 Joseph Fogg, Eliot, best bushel winter apples, Brackett Hall, Berwick, second best bushel winter apples, Charles Shapleigh, Seedling apple, John Rogers, Kittery, fine display of apples, . To Charles E. Norton, Benjamin Kennard, A. M. Payson, J. S. Murch, Eben Hobbs, Dimon Roberts, Joseph Frost and L. Brackett, each one copy of Cole's American Fruit Book. The show of pears, although not so extensive as that of apples, embraced a greater variety of choice kinds than has ever before been exhibited at our County Fairs, and evinced an increasing interest in the culture of this valuable fruit. S. L. Goodale, Saco, exhibited eighteen varieties, viz: Louise Bonne de Jersey, Beurre Diel, Dunmore, Paradise d'Automne, Capuamont, Beurre d'Amalis, Julienne, Belle Lucrative, Vicar of Winkfield, Fulton, Soldat Laboreur, Winter Nelis, Bonchretien Fondante, Glout Morceau, White Doyenne, Bergamot Sylvange, Beurre d'Aremberg, Marie Louise. E. S. Goodhue, Saco-Vicar of Winkfield. John Rogers, Kittery-Louise Bonne de Jersey, Bartlett, Fulton, Pound, Vicar of Winkfield. James Neal, North Berwick-Belle et Bonne and Urbaniste. Joseph Hammond, Elliot-Bartlett. There was also a dish of fine looking pears, without name, number or any means of ascertaining its owner, entitled to favorable notice. |