No. 63.J 63 



Potatoes. — Mr Whitens Statemei}t, 



Of raising a crop of Pinkeye potatoes, the season of 1842. Pre- 

 vious cultivation of the soil: In the spring of 1840, I turned over 

 about 2 J acres of green-svsrard, on which I raised wheat. The fol- 

 lowing season I plowed it but once, and then sowed it to barley, and 

 worked it sufficiently with a harrow, intending it for mowing. But 

 owing to the dry weather in the spring, the grass seed failed. It was 

 not plowed in the fall, on account of the ground's washing; no ma- 

 nure used. The present season plowed once, about seven inches 

 deep, and then drawed on twenty loads of yard and stable manure 

 per acre, and then it was spread and harrowed. I then took the 

 horse and plow, and run the furrows just three feet apart, and the po- 

 tatoes were then dropped in the furrows, about two feet apart; pota- 

 toes cut, and three pieces put in a hill. The quantity of seed, twen- 

 ty-five bushels. The quantity of land, one acre, one rod, and eight- 

 tenths rod. The time of planting, the 3(1 day of May. Time of har- 

 vesting, the 26th, 27th and 28th days of September. Number of 

 bushels, 42H. The expense of cultivating and harvesting the above 

 crop of potatoes, is fifteen dollars and thirty-eight cents. 



Potatoes. — Mr. Shejfer^s Statement. — 1 acre and 20 rods. 



The soil on which my crop of potatoes was grown, is Genesee 

 flats, a dark clay loam. The land had lain to meadow six years pre- 

 vious to the potatoe crop, and about one ton of hay was cut per acre, 

 previous to the potatoe crop. 35 loads of stable and yard manure 

 was applied in April, which was made the previous winter. The 

 land w^as plowed once, the latter part of May; then rolled, then har- 

 rowed thoroughly, then furrowed 3 inches deep, and 3| feet apart in- 

 to rows, and planted the last days of May and first of June, 30 bush- 

 els of Rohan potatoes, cut so as to average 3 eyes to a piece, and 

 dropped in the furrows one foot apart, and one piece of potatoe in a 

 place, after which they were covered with a hoe, 4 inches deep. 

 They were hoed twice; the first time a cultivator was used, and then 

 followed with a plow and hoe. The first hoeing was done when the 

 potatoes were about 3 inches high; the second time, when the pota- 

 toes were 12 inches high, by plowing, and after hoeing. The crop 

 was harvested the last of September and first of October, by digging 

 in the usual way with a hoe. 



Expenses of crop, $34.14. Value of the crop, 451 bushels 28 

 lbs., at 12i cents per acre, $56.35. 



The average yield per acre, on four acres, 401 bushels, 10 lbs. 



Beets. — Mr. Sheffer^s Statement. 



The soil on which my crop of sugar beets was grown, is Genesee 

 flats, a dark clay loam. The condition of the land before planting 

 this crop, was good; the crop previous was potatoes; thirty loads of 

 manure were put on to the acre, the crop three hundred and fifiy bush- 

 els. Twenty loads of well rotted manure per acre, were then applied 

 to the land, in the fall, and plowed in. The 15th of May, commenc- 



