60 



being near the ground. The suckers were numerous, and many bore 

 Tery good ears of corn. 



" After plowing, and before planting, the ground was harrowed, and 

 laid out in squares of four feet, at each angle a hill of corn being planted. 

 When the corn was up, the cultivator was used each way, and afterwards 

 it was hoed so as to leave no weeds. About two weeks afterward, I again, 

 went through with the same process ; and again, after one week, I went 

 through one way with the cultivator, and the other way with the plow,, 

 finishing with the hoe. I used no manure except as above stated. There 

 had been one crop of wheat raised upon this field before planting the 

 corn. 



" For this crop, I had summer fallowed the land, plowing but once ; 

 jny preference being for but one plowing for wheat, and that in June, so 

 that it "will be well settled down before sowing. Wheat wants a hard 

 bed. At the place where I turn my team at the. sides of the land, my 

 wheat is imiformly the best. My reasons for plowing but once are, that 

 the weeds thus turned under are more easily decomposed, and when not 

 disturbed, they make an excellent manure for the succeeding crops,. 

 while the vapor escaping from the decaying matter tends greatly to sti- 

 mulate the growth of the first crop. I turn my sheep on fallow land to 

 keep down any weeds that may spring up. Turning sheep upon land is 

 the best way we have to manure the land without cost. 



" The soil of this field is a sandy loam, of rather a dark color. The 

 cost of my crop of corn is as follows : 



*' The crop produced 496 bushels, at a cost of not quite ten cents per 

 bushel, leaving a nett profit of thirty-eight cents per bushel, or of 

 $188 48 from the eight acres, after delivery in the market, and after de- 

 ducting railroad transportation, shelling, &c. 



