16 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



When successful, twenty to twentj-five bushels is considered a 

 good crop. Instances of much larger yield were narrated. Mr. 

 Haines stated that he had grown forty-one and a half bushels of 

 spring wheat, of sixty pounds to the bushel, to the acre. This was 

 on land which had been in grass for four years and manured for 

 potatoes the year previous; and that his neighbor, Mr. Goss, in 

 adjoining township Letter C, grew last year one hundred and thirty- 

 five bushels of bearded wheat, on five acres, and in another instance, 

 fifty-two and a half bushels of winter wheat on one acre of new land 

 from which no previous crop had been taken. This was mentioned 

 as a very unusual crop, as winter wheat had rarely succeeded so well 

 as spring wheat. Mr. Alfred Cusbman of Golden Ridge, (number 

 three, in fifth range,) President of the Penobscot and Aroostook 

 Union Agricultural Society, informed me, that in one instance, from 

 two and a half bushels sowing, he had reaped one hundred and 

 seventy-five bushels, on four acres, one acre of which proving too 

 wet, yielded only about half as much as the rest, thus indicating 

 fifty bushels to the acre, on three acres. Since then he had been 

 less successful, having experienced rust often and mildew occasion- 

 ally. 



On the whole, it seems doubtful whether wheat may be depended 

 on as a staple crop, or that it can be profitably grown to an extent 

 much beyond the amount needed for home consumption. But no 

 drawbacks were found to exist which may prevent large production 

 of the other grains. Oats, barley and rye, with fair treatment, grow 

 luxuriantly, and yield bountifully. It is true, some very small and 

 meagre crops were noticed ; one, for instance, of about twenty bushels 

 of oats ; but upon inquiry it was ascertained to be the seventh suc- 

 cessive crop of oats on the same spot, without any application of 

 manure, and that the fifth yielded thirty-five bushels. AVho can 

 wonder if such management, or rather gross mismanagement, pre- 

 vails, that some, even here, become discontented, complain of the 

 climate, take the western fever, and talk of emigrating ? And here 

 it may be added, that evidence was abundant that two, three, or 

 even four white crops in immediate succession on the same ground, 



elliptical form, more rounded al the head and pointed at the opposite end, the seg- 

 ments distinctly marked by transverse constrictions. The fly appears much like 

 the common house fly reduced to an infantile size." 



