than is done on these farms, must be up rather early in the morning, as well as all day.

Gouverneur Morris gives his men an interest in the crops, so that their extra exertions count into their own pockets, as well as his.

All which is respectfully submitted.

(Signed)

HENRY MEIGS, Secretary.

New-York, June 26th, 1846.

R. T. UNDERHILL, Chairman.

REPORT

Of the Committee on Field Crops of the American Institute on the garden of Henry Smith, of Astoria, and on the farms of William J. Townsend, of Astoria, and Samuel B. Townsend, of Newtown, Long Island.

To the American Institute:

Your committee appointed to examine field crops, respectfully report:

That they visited Astoria on the 9th inst., and were there met by Mr. Wm. J. Townsend, who kindly placed his carriage at the disposal of the committee to convey them from point to point.

They first visited the garden of Mr. Henry Smith, a few minutes drive from the ferry, occupying some two acres and a half; soil a dry loam. One acre surrounds the house, part of which is devoted to the culture of flowers and fruit, the remainder to culinary vegetables; the marrowfat peas, lettuce, beets, &c., were of fine appear

ance.

Mr. Smith called the attention of the committee particularly to his gooseberries, which were of large size and delicious flavor, and free from mildew; while those of his neighbors around have been entirely destroyed. He manures them well with barn yard manure, and is careful to cut all dead wood from the bushes. He has not suffered from insects this season; in one instance only a small tree was stripped of its foliage. About one acre is divided into lots and cultivated as follows:

A small portion of Illinois corn for cattle, producing at the rate of 100 bushels per acre. Sweet corn for the table, of good size and looking well; potatoes, early sovereigns now ripe, and being used daily; later varieties of the Devonshire, red and French yellow, the

vines are all free from the slightest appearance of disease, manured with barn yard manure. Sugar beets for cattle, produced last year on an eighth of an acre, 150 bushels; melons, &c.

The stock consists of two cows of the Ayrshire and Alderney breeds, and two pigs, a cross of the Chinese and Berkshire, the latter six months old and very large. During the summer the cows are kept in pasture, and occasionally fed with green oats, in winter with sugar beets and hay. The Ayrshire cow has given for some time, thirtyeight quarts of milk per day, milked three times; her average yield from August 18th, to October 1st, 1845, was twenty-five quarts per day. The yield of the Alderney, though not as large, is much the richest. From the 22d of April, to October 1st, 1845, they gave together 5,527 quarts, a portion of which was sold to the neighbors and the remainder used at table, and made into butter. The amount of butter made from January, 1845, to January, 1846, exclusive of the milk and cream sold and used by the family, was 250 pounds. The apartments for poultry are well arranged; from 22 hens were obtained in one year 2,578 eggs.

Mr. Smith has been very successful in the cutivation of Cape Broccoli, having heads last fall the pulp of which measured two feet seven inches in circumference. He prepares the ground entirely with cow manure; sows the seed in May, and transplants the latter part of August.

Your committee were shown an Isabella grape vine, said to be 25 years old, which previous to the present season, had ceased for several years to bear fruit. By way of experiment, Mr. Smith had a portion of a dead horse that had floated ashore near by, carted up to the grounds and buried near the vine, which is now covered with clusters of fine grapes. To waste nothing which may be converted into manure, is as he expresses it, the "great secret of profitable farming." Considering that he employs the assistance of but one man, every thing being conducted with such order and economy; and that from less than three acres, he is enabled to supply a family numbering thirteen persons with all the necessaries of life, your committee deem him entitled to great commendation. The house is located on rising ground, commanding a view of the surrounding country of great beauty.

After partaking of a liberal entertainment, your committee, at the request of Mr. Smith, visited the farm of Mr. John H. Smith, near

by, for the purpose of viewing the beautiful Arbor Vitæ, and Beam Thorn hedges, by which it is divided. The first named being an evergreen, continues clothed the whole year. Five or six years will suffice to produce hedges of great beauty, presenting impassable barriers to the inroads of cattle. Their uniformity, and pleasing relief to the surrounding landscape, drew forth many expressions of approbation. Col. Skinner, who has travelled through many of the States, remarked, "he had never seen anything equal to them in this country."

Your committee then proceeded to the farm of Mr. Wm. J. Townsend, comprising 27 acres; 20 of which are now under cultivation. Soil a light dry loam. This farm when purchased by Mr. Townsend, two years ago, was worn out land. By highly commendable industry, and the use of fertilizing manures, he has brought it to its present state of productiveness. One lot of seven acres, now growing corn, had never been plowed before for forty years, the slope being so great, as it was supposed by the former proprietor, as to preclude the possibility of using the plow in turning the sod. Its present appearance proves the old adage true, that "where there's a will there's a way." The yield, it is conjectured, will be seventyfive bushels per acre. Most of the manure used on the farm is made by Mr.. Townsend, being a compost of peat, refuse woolen obtained from a carpet factory near by, soap suds, &c., mixed with lime. He applies 30 loads per acre, valued at one dollar per load. A field of rye, part of which was cut was supposed would yield sixty bushels to the acre; manured with poudrette at the rate of sixty bushels per acre, costing thirty-five cents per bushel. The rye is followed by a fine crop of clover, now high above the stubble.

The Lima beans numbering 1400 poles, looked very promising. Your committee were shown some six-weeks beans, manured with Guano, of very fine growth, but not seeing any others of the same planting differently treated, were unable to judge of its effect. In six acres of potatoes examined, no signs of the rot were discovered. The early varieties now fit for market, yield 100 bushels to the acre. A field of early sweet corn, about three-fourths of an acre, now in the silk, looked very fine. Seven acres from which a first crop of different vegetables have been taken, he is now about sowing for a second. Mr. Townsend stated that he had sold already, 3,300 early cabbages at from $4,50 to $5 per hundred, and expected to get 80,000 of the winter variety from those now set out. A thorough bred pair of Devon oxen, five years old last spring, were much admired They were raised in Connecticut, and cost $100.

From the short time that Mr. Townsend has occupied his farm, the labor required and perseverance displayed in bringing it from a state of waste to its present condition, entitles him, in the opinion of your committee, to great praise. They then accompanied Mr. Townsend to the farm of his father, Sam'l B. Townsend, of Newtown.

His farm contains 131 acres; soil, a dark loam, with a slight proportion of sand. They inspected a field of Canada flint wheat, containing 14 acres, looking well; probable yield 25 bushels to the acre. The Scotch imperial oats, 7 acres, presented a beautiful appearance. Crop very heavy, sown two bushels of oats to the acre; no manure applied this year.

The corn was far superior to any seen elsewhere this season. Fifteen acres manured with barn-yard manure at the rate of 15 loads per acre, each load being equal to 42 bushels, will probably yield 60 bushels to the acre. A field of two and a half acres bearing timothy, manured with barn-yard manure, 15 loads to the acre, presented a fine appearance. Your committee examined a field of clover partly cut, of two acres, manured three years ago with poudrette, 60 bushels to the acre. First crop was wheat. Second year no manure applied and sown with timothy; this year likewise, not manured, and sown with clover; the second crop of which is being cut and sold in market green, for $4 per hundred bundles; equal to $40 per ton as hay.

There were eleven acres of potatoes, manured with barn-yard manure, in which not a case of disease was seen. The present yield of the early variety is 100 bushels per acre; the fall crop, it is thought will amount to 250 bushels per acre.

Examined a field of fourteen acres bearing a fine crop of common oats. This field has not been manured for five years, and sown each season with oats. Two acres manured with lime, 100 bushels per acre on the sod, and then turned over and sowed with corn manured in the hills a year ago last spring, produced 65 bushels per acre; sown this year with oats, no manure, thought will yield 80 bushels

per acre.

Mr. Townsend has been very successful in the use of poudrette as a manure. He first made trial: five years ago, of that obtained from the Lodi company of New-Jersey, but found it inferior in fertilizing properties to the article prepared by the Poudrette company of NewYork, which he has since used. In addition to the poudrette, he has placed on his farm this season, 800 loads of manure prepared as