H. Clark has done more at this than any other, and is fully persuaded, that it is useful and profitable. The same land improved this way will support more than double the stock. He is of opinion, that cows are as profitable for dairy through the season, as when pastured. The increased quantity of manure, and the convenience of having cows, oxen and horses at hand, will amply compensate the increased labor.

Not much attention has been paid to the improvement of stock, whether of cattle, sheep, horses, or swine. Those who have turned their attention to this have been well remunerated.

More attention has been paid to making manure than formerly; but still this article is much neglected. Gypsum has been found useful on some, and useless on other land; but sufficient trial of its efficacy has not been made. Lime and salt have not been fairly tried; nor has ploughing in green crops.-Ashes have been found good manure. and swamp mud are among the best materials for compost and for supplying barn and hog yards. Very few barns have cellars, and manure is exposed to evaporation of the sun and wind, and bleaching of the rain.

Peat

As early as 1662 orchards are mentioned in the sale of land. The trees grew luxuriantly and much larger than those planted within the last sixty or seventy years.* Most of the first planted have decayed, and many have disappeared. Considerable attention has been paid to renewing orchards and cultivating the best varieties of fruit. The raising of nurseries has been much neglected. The most extensive nursery was in the garden of Mr. Phillips, planted and cultivated by Miss Sarah Abbot, who began it about 1787. She engrafted more than two thousand trees in a

*On the Shawshin farm, owned by the Compiler, there is an Apple tree in a state of decay, which measures in the smallest place below five feet above ground, 13 feet and one inch in circumference. About 5 1-2 feet above the ground it is divided into two branches; one of which measuree 7 feet and 8 inches and the other 9 feet in circumference. It is probably the largest apple tree in the county.

season; and about ten thousand were sold from that nursery. The Pear has not been cultivated except for the table, and in small quantities.

The town is well supplied with wood and peat. Pine and oak are thrifty after the old wood is taken off. The price of wood has increased much within twenty years. Hard wood is now sold at $4, to 4,34 a cord. A considerable quantity of wood and timber is carried to market.

An Elm, transplanted by Mr. Jonathan Frye in 1725, near Mr. John Peters's house, measures in circumference, two feet above the ground, 13 feet 8 inches-7 feet above the ground, 11 feet. Diameter of the limbs more than 80 feet.

An Elm near Mr. Simeon Putnam's, one foot above ground, 16 feet; 6 feet above ground, 13 feet.

An Elm near Mr. James Abbot's, one foot above ground, 18 feet-6 feet above ground 13 feet.

Buttonwood near Mrs. Phillips's, one foot above ground, 11 feet-4 feet above ground 9 feet.

Capt. Amos Holt dug up a white oak tree in Mr. Isaac Chandler's pasture, which measured in circumference 21 feet at one foot above the ground; the limbs of the tree spread over a circle, of which the diameter is eight rods in length. It contained 8 tons of ship timber, and five cords of wood. Capt. Holt received for the stem piece for the ship Independence $100, and a present of $20 because it was so good.

Manufactures. A powder mill, in the winter of 1775-6, was built at great expense by S. Phillips jun. Esq., which was probably the first in the country. In 1778 June 1, the powder house was blown up, and three persons were killed. 1796, Oct. 19, two persons were killed by explosion of the powder mill. No powder has been since made here.

A paper mill was built in 1788 by Hon. S. Phillips,

and carried on by Phillips and Houghton. This mill was, about 1811, burned. The mill was rebuilt in 1812. The value of paper made in a year is about $10,000; for the making of which, 16 to 20 persons are employed.

The manufacturing of wool was commenced in 1810, by Mr. Abraham Marland, a native of Great Britain. Nothing before this was done, except in a domestic way and by a carding machine put in operation in 1802 by James Scholfield, which was the third in the county. Blankets and coarse fabrics were made for the Government in the last war.

In 1813, 14 and 15, three manufactories for wool were put in operation; and in 1822, two others were built, and one other since. About 160,000 pounds of wool of Amercan growth are manufactured into upwards of 480,000 yards of flannel in a year. Cassimeres are also manufactured. The capital in these establishments is estimated at $200,000; about 300 working people are employed, of whom about 100 are females.

John Smith and Co., in 1824, built a shop for machinery for cotton mills, 72 feet by 37 feet, three stories above the basement, with out buildings &c. About 30 hands are here profitably employed.

It is estimated that about one third part of the water power is now used.

1798. Ames and Parker set up a printing press in the S. Parish, did little business and for a short time.

1813. Flagg and Gould established a printing office, in which business has been carried on extensively, not only in the English language, but also in the Greek and Hebrew. Their office is supplied with types for printing eleven of the oriental languages.

St. Matthew's Lodge of Free Masons was chartered Aug. 1823.

Andover Bank was incorporated March 1826; Samuel Farrar, President, Amos Blanchard, Cashier.

Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incor

porated, Feb. 1828.

17*

APPENDIX.

AT a general Court at Boston 6th of 3d month, 1646, Cutshamache, Sagamore of Massachusetts, came into the Court and acknowledged, that for the sum of £6 and a coat which he had already received, he had sold to Mr. John Woodbridge, in behalf of the inhabitants of Cochichewick, now called Andover, all the right, interest and privilege in the land six miles southward from the town, two miles eastward to Rowley bounds, be the same more or less; northward to Merrimack river, provided that the Indian called Roger, and his company, may have liberty to take alewives in Cochichewick river for their own eating; but if they either spoil or steal any corn, or other fruit to any considerable value of the inhabitants, the liberty of taking fish shall forever cease, and the said Roger is still to enjoy four acres of ground where now he plants; and this purchase the Court allows of, and have granted the said land to belong to the said plantation forever, to be ordered and disposed of by them, reserving liberty to the Court to lay two miles square of their southerly bound to any town or village that may hereafter be erected thereabouts, if so they see cause.

Cutshamache acknowledged this before the magistrates, and so the Court approveth thereof, and of the rest of this bill to be recorded, so as it prejudice no former grant.*

*Colony Records.