640 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-YORK 



ted a debt for said farm of §4,000 My personal property 

 consisted of 1 yoke of oxen, 1 span of horses, 2 cows, 1 two year 

 old heifer, IS sheep, 1 pig, 2 plows, 1 harrow, 1 wagon, and a 

 wheel cultivator. I had the admonition from my father (an old 

 and experienced farmer,) that I never could pay the interest of 

 said debt olf said farm; but with my management I have been 

 able to pay the interest and all the principal with the products 

 of the farm in this year. I have purchased 28 acres adjoining on 

 the south side'of my farm, at |55 per acre, over one-third of 

 which I have paid the past year, besides increasing my personal 

 property three fold. 



To the questions of the Society, which are indicated by the 

 replies, Mr. Metcalf says : 



" Soil clay loam, subsoil clay. By sowing Cayuga plaster on 

 all my land where wheat, barley and oats are sowed, at the rate 

 of one and a half bushels per acre, and using all the manure 

 made on the farm, my farm is best improved. I plow from five 

 to eight inches deep. Deep plowing has produced the best wheat 

 and barley — shallow, with coarse manure plowed under, the best 

 corn. Have not used subsoil plow. Have laid 100 rods of blind 

 drain 3 feet deep, with stone mostly. The increase of barley and 

 wheat has been nearly doubled by it, but the land drained was the 

 wettest part of the field. 



About 300 loads of manure are manufactured annually from 

 hay, corn fodder and straw fed in the yard and stables. Horse 

 and cattle manure is mixed daily with the straw in the yard. I 

 apply about 20 loads of coarse manure to the acre for corn, if the 

 land has been much cropped. I prefer clover sod for planting 

 corn. The remainder is composted for wheat in the fall. After 

 preparing the land for wheat, I spread the manure on and drag it 

 in, which I think is the best way it can be applied to the wheat 

 crop. Have used plaster, guano and unleached ashes for wheat; 

 sowed 300 lbs. guano broadcast on three acres of wheat 1st. Dec, 

 '55, and the balance of the field (20 acres) with Cayuga plaster 

 and unleached ashes. I could see no difference in the guanoed 

 part from the rest of the field. I believe Cayuga plaster and 

 ashes increase my crops of grain and clover \ per acre. Have 

 not used salt or lime. Two bushels of seed wheat are sown per 

 acre with Foster & Jessup's grain drill, say from the 1st to tho 



