546

Premiums in Agriculture.

one year further. Certificates to be produced
on or before the first Tuesday in Nov. 1806.

7. ASCERTAINING THE BEST METHOD OF
RAISING OAKS. To the person who shall as-
certain in the best manner, by actual experi-
ments, the comparative merits of the different
modes of raising oaks for timber, either from
acorns set on land of the foregoing description
properly dug or tilled, from acorns set by the
spade or dibble, without digging or tillage,
either on a smooth surface, or among bushes,
fern, or other cover; or from young plants pre-
viously raised in nurseries, and transplanted; re-
gard being had to the expense, growth, and
other respective advantages of the several me-
thods; the gold medal.
per certificates that not less than one acre has
The accounts and pro-
been cultivated in each mode, to be produced to
the Society on or before the first Tuesday in No-
vember, 1802.

8. The same premium is extended one year
farther. The accounts and certificates to be
duced on or before the first Tuesday in Novem-
pro-
ber, 1803.

9. OSIERS. To the person who shall have planted, between the 1st of October, 1801, and the first of May, 1802, the greatest quantity of land, not less than five acres, with those kinds of willows, commonly known by the names of osier, Spaniard, new-kind, or French, fit for the purpose of basket-inakers, not fewer than twelve thousand plants on each acre; the gold medal, or thirty guineas.

10. For the second greatest quantity of land, not less than three acres; the silver medal, or ten guineas. Certificates of the planting, and that the plants were in a thriving state five months at least after the planting, to be produced to the Society on or before the last Tuesday in November, 1802.

11. The same premiums are extended one year farther. on or before the last Tuesday in Nov. 1803. Certificates to be produced

** The candidates for planting all kinds of trees are to produce certificates that the respective plantations are properly fenced and secured, and particularly to state the condition of the plants at the time of signing such certificates. Any information which the candidates for the foregoing premiums may choose to communicate, relative to the methods made use of in forming the plantations, or promoting the growth of the several trees, or any other observations that may have occurred on the subject, will be thankfully received.

12. SECURING PLANTATIONS OF TIMBERTREES, AND HEDGE-ROWS. To the person who shall give to the Society the most satisfactory account, founded on experience, of the most effectual and least expensive method of securing young plantations of timber-trees, and hedge-rows, from hares and rabbits, as well as sheep and larger cattle, which at the same time shall be least subject to the depredations of wood-stealers, the silver medal, or twenty guineas. The accounts and certificates of the efficacy of the method to be pro

duced to the Society on or before the first Tues[June, day in November, 1802.

13. The same premium is extended one year faron or before the first Tuesday in Nov. 1803. ther. The accounts and certificates to be produced

14. PREVENTING THE BLIGHT, OR RAVAGES OF INSECTS, ON FRUIT-TREES AND CULINARY PLANTS. To the person who shall discopreventing the blight, or ravages of insects, on ver to the Society the most effectual method of fruit-trees and culinary plants, superior to any hitherto known or practised, and verified by acdal, or thirty guineas. The accounts, with proper tual and comparative experiments; the gold me certificates, to be delivered to the Society on or before the second Tuesday in November, 1802. farther. 15. The same premium is extended one year livered on or before the second Tuesday in NoThe accounts and certificates to be devember, 1803.

16. REMOVING THE ILL EFFECTS OF BLIGHTS, to the Society the most effectual method of reOR INSECTS. To the person who shall discover fruit-trees and culinary plants, superior to any moving the ill effects of blights, or insects, on hitherto known or practised, and verified by actual and comparative experiments; the gold medal, or thirty guineas. The accounts and certifi the first Tuesday in February, 1803. cates to be delivered to the Society on or before

satisfactory set of experiments, made on not less
17. COMPARATIVE TILLAGE. For the most
trench-ploughed*, and four to be ploughed in the
than eight acres of land, four of which to be
it may be adviseable to shorten the operations of
usual manner, in order to ascertain in what cases
tillage, by adopting one trench-ploughing, for the
purpose of burying the weeds, instead of the me-
thod, now in common use, of ploughing and har
rowing the land three or four tinics, and raking
medal, or forty guineas. It is required that every
the weeds together and burning them; the gold
culture be fully and accurately described, and
operation and expense attending each mode of
that proper certificates of the nature and condi-
tion of the land on which the experiments are
made, together with a circumstantial account of
the appearance of the subsequent crops during
their growth ; and also of the quantity and weight
of the corn and straw under each mode of cul-
Society on or before the first Tuesday in Feb 1803.
ture, or, in case of a green crop, the weight of
an average sixteen perches, be produced to the

BROAD-CAST, DRILLED, AND DIBBLED. For
18. COMPARATIVE CULTURE OF WHEAT
the best set of experiments made on not less than
cast, four drilled, and four dibbled, the two lat-
twelve acres, four of which to be sown broad-
ter in equi-distant rows, in order fully to ascer-
tivating wheat; the gold medal, or forty guineas.
tain which is the most advantageous mode of cul-
It is required that every operation and expense of
each mode of culture be fully described;
proper certificates of the nature aud condition of
the land on which the experiments are made, to-

and that

*It is a common practice among gardeners, when they have a piece of very foul land, to dig ittwo spits, or about eighteen inches deep, shovelling the weeds to the bottom. This they call trenching.

gether with an account of the produce of the corn, the weight per bushel, and also of the straw, be produced to the Society on or before the first Tuesday in February, 1803.

19. SPRING WHEAT. To the person who, between the 10th of January and the 10th of April, 1802, shall cultivate the greatest quantity of wheat, not less than ten acres; the silver medal, or twenty guineas. It is required that the time of sowing and reaping be noticed; also a particular account of the species, cultivation, and expense attending it, with proper certificates of the nature and condition of the land on which the experiments were made, and the name of the crop, if any, which the same land bore the preceding year; together with an account of the produce, the weight per Winchester bushel; and a sample, not less than a quart, be produced to the Society on or before the second Tuesday in February, 1803.

It is supposed that sowing wheat early in the spring will not only allow more time to till the land but less for the growth of weeds; thus rendering the wheat as clean as a barley crop, and exhausting the soil much less than autumnal sowing. It may be seen in the 19th volume that the wheat usually sown in autumn may be put into the ground, with great success, so late as February or March, thus giving time to clear the ground from turnips, or to avoid a bad season.

20. BEANS AND WHEAT. To the person who shall have dibbled or drilled, between the 1st of December, 1801, and the 1st of April, 1802, the greatest quantity of land, not less than ten acres, with beans, in equi-distant rows, and hoed the intervals twice or oftener, and shall have sown the same land with wheat in the autumn of the year 1802; the silver medal, or twenty guineas. It is required that an account of the sort and quantity of beans, the time of dibbling or drilling, and of reaping or mowing them, the produce per acre threshed, the expense of dibbling or drilling, hand or horse hoeing, the distance of the rows, and the quality of the soil, together with certificates of the number of acres, and that the land was afterwards actually sown with wheat, be produced on or before the second Tuesday in March, 1803.

21. BEANS. To the person who, in the year 1801, shall discover and cultivate, either by the drill or dibbling-method, on not less than five acres, a species of horse-beans or tick-beans, that will ripen their seeds before the 21st of August; the silver medal, or twenty guineas. It is required that a particular account of the bean, the cultivation, and the expense attending it, with proper certificates of the nature and condition of the land on which the experiments are made, together with an account of the produce, the weight per Winchester bushel, and a sample of not less than a quart, be produced to the Society on or before the first Tuesday in December, 1802. It is apprehended that, if a bean should be brought into cultivation with the habits of the hotspur, or other early peas, that it would, in a great measure, escape the danger arising from the collierinsect, or other insects, and allow more time for the farmers to till the land for the subsequent

crop of wheat. The accounts and certificates to be delivered on or before the first Tuesday in December, 1802.

22. The same premium is extended one year farther. The accounts and certificates to be delivered on or before the first Tuesday in Dec. 1803.

23. COMPARATIVE CULTURE OF TURNIPS. For the best set of experiments made on not less than eight acres of land, four of which to be sown broad-cast, and four drilled, to ascertain whether it is most advantageous to cultivate turnips by sowing them broad-cast and hand-hoeing them, or by drilling them in equi-distant rows, and hand or horse-hoeing the intervals; the silver medal, or twenty guineas. It is required that every operation and expense of each mode of culture be fully described, and that proper certificates of the nature and condition of the land, on which the experiments were made, together with the weight of the turnips grown, on a fair average sixteen perches of land, under each mode of culture, be produced to the Society on or before the first Tuesday in March, 1803. The object which the Society have in view in offering this premium is experimentally to ascertain the most advantageous method of growing turnips. To do this in a satisfactory manner, both the drilled and broad-cast crops should have the advantage of the most periect cultivation, consequently the drilled crops should have the intervals between the rows worked by the horse or hand-hoe, or by both these implements; and the rows should be either weeded or hand-hoed, or both weeded and hand-hoed. The broad-cast crop should have every advantage which weeding and hand-hoeing can give it, consistently with leaving the soil a flat surface.

24. The same premium is extended one year farther. Certificates to be produced on or before the first Tuesday in March, 1804

25. PARSNIPS. To the person who, in the year 1802, shall cultivate the greatest quantity of land, not less than five acres, with parsnips, for the sole purpose of feeding cattle or sheep; the gold medal, or thirty guineas. Certificates of the quantity of land so cultivated, with a particular account of the nature of the soil and weight of the produce on sixteen perches, and also of the condition of the cattle or sheep fed with the parsnips, and the advantages resulting from the practice, to be produced to the Society on or before the second day in Nov. 1803.

26. BUCK WHEAT. To the person who shall cultivate the greatest quantity of land with buck wheat, not less than thirty acres; the gold medal. It is required that the time of sowing and reaping be noticed, also a particular account of the species, cultivation, and expense attending it, the manner of reaping it, thrashing it, and housing the grain, with proper certificates of the nature and condition of the land on which the experiments were made, and the name of the crop, if any, which the same land bore the preceding year, together with an account of the produce, and a sample of the seed, not less than a quart, be produced to the Society on or before the second Tuesday in January, 1803.

28. RAISING GRASS SEEDS. To the person who shall raise the greatest quantity of each or any of the following named grass seeds, viz. Meadow fox-tail (alopecurus pratensis), sweet scented vernal grass (anthoxanthum odoratum), Timothy grass, meadow Fescue grass, smoothstalked meadow grass (poa pratensis) roughstalked meadow grass (poa trivialis); the silver medal, or ten guineas. It is required that certificates from persons who have viewed them in a proper state, to identify that they are one or other of the seeds above-mentioned, indicating clearly the particular species, and noticing the quantity produced of such seeds, free from weeds or mixture of other grasses, together with proper samples of the seeds, be produced to the Society on or before the first day of February,

1803.

29. The same premium is extended one year farther. Certificates to be produced on or before the first day of February, 1804.

30. ROTATION OF CROPS. To the person who shall, between the 10th of August, 1801, and the 10th of September, 1803, cultivate the greatest quantity of land, not less than forty acres, in the following rotation, viz.-1st,wintertares; 2d, turnips; and 3d, wheat; and apply thet wo former crops, in the best and most farmerlike manner, to the rearing, supporting, and fattening horses, cattle, sheep, or hogs, on the land which produced the crops; the gold medal, or one hundred guineas.

31. For the next in quantity and merit, on not less than thirty acres; the silver medal, or fifty guineas.

33. The same premium is extended one year farther. Certificates to be delivered on or before the first day of November, 1805.

34. PRESERVING TURNIPS. To the person who shall discover to the Society the best and cheapest method of preserving turnips perfectly sound, and in every respect fit for the purpose of supporting and fattening sheep and neat cattle, during the months of February, March, and April; the gold medal, or thirty guineas. It is required that a full and accurate account of the method employed, and the expense attending the process, together with certificates that the produce of four acres at the least have been preserved according to the method described, and applied to the feeding of sheep and neat cattle ; that the whole were drawn out of the ground be fore the first day of February, in order to clear the greater part of it previous to its being prepared for corn, and to save the soil from being exhausted by the turnips; and also of the weight of an average sixteen perches of the crop; be produced to the Society on or before the first Tuesday in November, 1803.

N. B. It is recommended to those who may be induced to try the necessary experiments for obtaining this and the following four premiums to consider the method employed for the preservation of potatoes in ridges, (which the growers call pies,} and also the propriety of adopting a similar method in cases where they are previously frozen. It is supposed that, in the latter instance, the addition of ice or snow, and the construction of the ridges upon a large scale, may be sufficient to preserve the freezing temperature till the vegetables are wanted for the use of cattle or sheep, at which time they may be thawed by immersion in cold weather, and the rot which a sudden thaw produces may be prevented.

35. For the next in quantity and merit, on not less than two acres, the silver medal, or fifteen guineas.

36. PRESERVING CABBAGES. To the person who shall discover to the Society the best and cheapest method of preserving drum headed cabbages perfectly sound, and in every respect fit for the purpose of supporting and fattening sheep and neat cattle during the months of February, March, and April; the gold medal, or thirty guineas.

32. For the next in quantity and merit, on not less than twenty acres; the silver medal. It is required that every operation and expense be fully described, and that satisfactory certificates of the nature and condition of the soil on which the crops have grown, together with an account of their appearance, the number of horses and cattle, sheep or hogs, fed by the two green crops, and, as near as possible, the im- 37. For the next in quantity and merit, on not proved value of the live stock by the consumption less than two acres, the silver medal, or fifteen of those crops, and also the quantity of wheat guineas. Conditions the same as for preserving per acre, and its weight per bushel, be produced turnips, Cl. 34. And the accounts to be producto the Society on or before the first day of No-ed on or before the first Tuesday in November, vember, 1804.

It is presumed that very great advantages will arise to such agriculturists as shall adopt this rotation of crops on a dry soil. They will be enabled, with the addition of a few acres of turniprooted cabbage for spring-food, to keep such large flocks of sheep and herds of neat cattle as may secure a sufficient quantity of manure to fertilize their land in the highest degree, and in every situation. It is farther conceived that wheats which will bear sowing in the spring will be particularly suitable for this premium.

1803.

38. PRESERVING CARROTS, PARSNIPS, OR BEETS. To the person who shall discover to the Society the best and cheapest method of preserving carrots, parsnips, or beets, perfectly sound, and in every respect fit for the purpose of supporting horses, and fattening sheep and neat cattle, during the months of February, March, and April; the silver medal, or fifteen guineas. Conditions the same as for preserving turnips, Cl. 34. and the accounts to be delivered in on or before the first day in November, 1806. L

39. PRESERVING POTATOES. To the person who shall discover to the Society the best and cheapest method of preserving potatoes, two or more years, perfectly sound, without vegetating, and in every other respect fit for the purpose of sets and the use of the table, and, consequently, of supporting and fattening cattle; the silver medal, or twenty guineas. It is required, that a full and accurate account of the method employed, and the expense attending the process, with certificates that one hundred bushels at the least have been preserved according to the method described, and that one or more bushels of the same potatoes have been set, and produced a crop without any apparent diminution of their vegetative power; and also that they have been used at table, with entire satisfaction to the person who eat of them, together with a sample of one bushel, be sent to the Society on or before the first Tuesday in November, 1804.

40. MAKING MEADOW-HAY IN WET WEATHER. To the person who shall discover to the Society the best and cheapest method, superior to any hitherto practised, of making meadow-hay in wet weather; the gold medal, or thirty guineas. A full account of the method employed, and of the expense attending the process, with not less than fifty-six pounds of the hay; and certificates that at least the produce of six acres of land has been made according to the method described, and that the whole is of equal quality with the samples; to be produced on or before the first Tuesday in January, 1803.

41. HARVESTING CORN IN WET WEATHER. To the person who shall discover to the Society the best and cheapest method, superior to any hitherto practised, of harvesting corn in wet weather; the gold medal, or thirty guineas. A full account of the method employed, and of the expense attending the process, with not less than two sheaves of the corn, and certificates that at least the produce of ten acres has been harvested according to the method described, and that the whole is of equal quality with the samples, to be produced on or before the first Tuesday in January, 1803.

42. ASCERTAINING THE COMPONENT PARTS OF ARABLE LAND. To the person who shall produce to the Society the most satisfactory set of experiments to ascertain the due proportion of the several component parts of rich arable land, in one or more counties in Great Britain, by an accurate analysis of it; and who having made a like analysis of some poor arable land, shall, by comparing the component parts of each, and thereby ascertaining the deficiencies of the poor soil, improve a quantity of it, not less than one acre, by the addition of such parts as the former experiments shall have discovered to be wanting therein, and therefore probably the cause of its sterility; the gold medal, or forty guineas. It is required that the manurings, ploughings, and crops, of the improved land, be the same after the improvement as before; and that a minute account of the produce in each state, of the weather, and of the various influencing circumstances, together with the method made use of in analysing the soils, be produced, with proper cer

tificates and the chemical results of the analysis, which are to remain the property of the Society, on or before the last Tuesday in November, 1803.

It is expected that a quantity, not less than six pounds, of the rich, of the poor, and of the improved soils, be produced with the certificates.

43, IMPROVING LAND LYING WASTE. For the most satisfactory account of the best method of improving any of the following soils, being land lying waste or uncultivated, viz. clay, gravel, sand, chalk, peat-earth and bog, verified by experiments on not less than fifty acres of land; the gold medal, or thirty guineas.

44. For the next greatest quantity, not less than thirty acres, the silver medal, or twenty guineas. It is required that the land before such improvement be absolutely uncultivated, and in a great ineasure useless, and that, in its improved state, it be enclosed, cultivated, and divided into closes. Certificates of the number of acres, of the quality of the land so improved, with a full account of every operation and expense attending such improvement, the state it is in as to the proportion of grass to arable, and the average-value thereof, to be produced on or be fore the first Tuesday in February, 1803.

45. MANURES. For the most satisfactory set of experiments, to ascertain the comparative advantages of the following manures, used as topdressings on grass or corn land, viz. soot, coalashes, wood-ashes, lime, gypsum, night-soil, or any other fit article; the gold medal, or the silver medal and twenty guineas, It is required that the above experiments be made between two or more of the above-mentioned manures, and that not less than two acres of land be dressed with each manure. of the soil, quantity and expense of the manure An account of the nature and crops, with certificates, to be produced on or before the last Tuesday in February, 1803.

46. The same premium is extended one year farther. The accounts and certificates to be produced on or before the last Tuesday in Fe, bruary, 1804.

47. GAINING LAND FROM THE SEA. To the person who shall produce to the Society an account of the best method, verified by actual experiment, of gaining land from the sea, not less than twenty acres, on the coast of Great Britain or Ireland; the gold medal. Certifi cates of the quantity of land, and that the riments were begun after the 1st of January, 1796, to be produced to the Society on or before the first Tuesday in October, 1802.

expe

farther. Certificates to be produced on or be 48. The same premium is extended one year fore the first Tuesday in October, 1803.

49. The same premium is extended one year farther. Certificates to be produced on or be fore the first Tuesday in October, 1804.

Το

50. MACHINE FOR DIBBLING WHEAT. the person who shall invent a machine, superior purpose of dibbling wheat, by which the holes to any hitherto knowa or in use, to answer the for receiving the grain may be made at equal distances and proper depths; the silver medal,

65. IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF THE LABOURING POOR BY APPORTIONING LAND TO COTTAGES. To the person who, in the year 1802, shall apportion to the greatest number of cottages, already built upon his or her estate, any quantity of land, not less than two acres to each cottage, for the better accommodation of the re56. CURE OF THE ROT IN SHEEP. To the spective inhabitants; the gold medal. The acperson who shall discover to the Society the best counts of the number of cottages, and of the and most effectual method of curing the rot in quantity of land apportioned to each, to be delisheep, verified by repeated and satisfactory ex-vered to the Society, with proper certificates, on periments; the gold medal, or fifty guineas. It or before the first Tuesday in February, 1803. is expected that the candidates furnish accurate 64. The same premium is extended one year of the symptoms and cure of the discase, farther. The accounts and certificates to be de