NORTH AROOSTOOK SOCIETY. 357 



no doubt but -what I should have got four bushels. After reaping the 

 grass and binding it in bundles with double bands, I stood up from ten 

 to fifteen in a place and let them remain two or three weeks, to rot. 

 I practice reaping my herds grass early, theii cutting the bottom for 

 hay, which, if well cured, is worth at least one-half the price of 

 good hay. My figures stand thus : 



Reaping herds grass, and 



binding, ^1 50 



Hauling in and cleaning, 1 50 



$3 00 



2l bushels of herds grass, 



worth S3 00, $7 50 



Cost, 3 00 



Profit, $4 50 



-The profit seems small, but when we consider the bottom worth 

 half the price of good hay, it makes a very respectable income from 

 one acre of grass. I am of opinion that the raising of grass 

 seed is injurious to this country. Farmers think it is the only way 

 that they can raise money to pay their taxes and small cash debts, 

 but this is a mistake. An acre of grass cut for hay and fed to 

 stock will yield far better returns. I have, for the last six years, 

 cut considerable of my grass for seed ; I now see that it has been a 

 sad mistake. 



Hiram Stevens. 



Statement of Mr. Bridges of Presque Isle, on Oats. The 

 acre of oats which I present for premium, was sown on the 10th of 

 June, on land that I planted to potatoes and corn in 1856. The 

 seed is what is known as Russian oats. I harvested them the third 

 week in September, and had eighty-nine bushels. 



Jacob Bridges. 



Statement of J. W. Haines on Oats. The Russian oats which 

 I oifer for premium, were grown on an acre of light friable loam of 

 dark color, resting on a limestone substratum, being new burnt land 

 and never plowed ; three bushels of seed sown 10th May ; harvested 

 in September, when ripe ; yield eighty-one bushels. 



Sumner Whitney offered for premium a crop of one hundred and 

 six bushels (machine measure) of oats and peas, grown on two 

 acres of light loam twelve to eighteen inches deep, on a hard sub- 

 soil ; half of it was in wheat and half in sod the year before ; no 



