Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-12-23

change of ideas, a comparison Of modes ~
culture, aud the relative value of ditrer.r,
Kinds OF manure, and their adaptation 4.
particular crops and various soils. &. r.,w
applications, accompanied by the necessa.
ry statements, are made for premiums m
field crops, that an impression ha, obtain
cd that favored few were sure, under
any circumstances. to win. This VIC bo.
lieve to be unjust both to the oll;cer. oe
the Society. and to the committee. In
fact, some who have contributed Iiberc,,r
to the exhibition of field crops, have Dc.
clincd to apply for premiums, on account
of this prejudice, and the community have
thereby lost the benefit of their experience.
The different kinds Of field crops afford 40
wide field for competition. that all NAV
engage in it, and We often hear the remark
when the report Of the committee is read.
that A. b. or c, has raised better cron
than that, on which the premium was
awarded, and we know of farmers. LIVING
within fifteen or twenty miles of the place
of exhibition, who would have been sure
to have obtained premium if they had
applied. One of your committee lust af-
ter the Fair of the present year, saw ono
| hundred bushels cars of corn: and was
told by the owner, TINT he had sorted or
10 bushels of poorer quality, making us
bushels of ears, grown ON one acre.
1t is also matter of regret, that exlh
itors do not give more full and explicit
accounts of their methods of cultivation,
Of the previous culture of the ground on
which their crops are raised, and more
definite description Of the composition Of
their soils and the kinds and amount Of
manure used. In deciding which is tho
best conducted experiment, we should like
to know whether the soil is new or old, Wet
or dry; whether it rests on hard sub-soil
or loose sand whether it has. been care
fully titled and literally manured. or sub
jcctcd for years, to that SHINING process.
so much in favor with down cast farmers;
whether i.ic manure applied has been rob.
bed by the wind and rains of half it's
strength. or its power increased by those
manurlal condiments, guano. rondrctte,
super phosphate and porgic chum; wheth-
er the seed is planted in hills, or drills, or
broadcast; whether all tue manure is ap-
piled al planting. or a part at some SUISSE
quent period. ltappears TO us that the
size of the blank, furnished by the State.
contcmplatcs some such information. A
great many persons evidently suppose. that
all they have to do to insure them pre-
MUM, is to present specimen Of the T
crop and mcrcl, state the amount produc-
ed. when they might know that the Soce-
~ is prceludcd BY the laws of the State.
from awarding more than slight gratuity
unless full and explicit statement is made.
We hope that before the time Of your
annual exhibition, again comes round, that
such a spirit of emulation viii he aroused
amoHg the farmers Of "Old Hancock
that our Successors will not be left with
"llobson's cloicc" but that all the prcmi-
unls. great ami small, first and last, offered
hy the Society. viii be awarded.
LrrHEH LORD.
JopS X. PEARL, '""
Al.o premiums awarded. but omitted in
| the published list:
Ephraim crabtrec, Hancock, lst pre-
| nipm an colt. $500
II. :. Treyeu, Trenton, premium on
domestic cloth. LIS
| As both Of these gentlemen are worthy
members, and have cyiuccd eommenla-
| bic zeal in the welfare of the Society, tho
omission is regretted. There are other Re-
ports OF Committees which viii be forward
ed for publication soon.
s. WATSON, Sec'y II. A. s
Surry. Dec. ~, 1864.