WEST SOMERSET SOCIETY. I53 



some roots with a little corn meal and oats, to keep their hair 

 smooth. After the first winter I give no provender, but feed 

 on salted hay and keep water in the yard. I choose to have 

 steers handled from three to sis months old. I consider this 

 much the cheapest and most effectual way to make well trained 

 oxen," 



Statement of C. R. Vaiighan. " I hereby certify to the fol- 

 lawing, as the amount of beans raised on three-quarters of an 

 acre of land, viz : five and one-fourth bushels of Marrowfats, 

 and nine and one-half bushels of Bluepod beans. 



Mode of raising. The land was a sandy loam, old mowing ; 

 had borne but little grass for several years ; was broken up 

 about the twelfth of May last, and harrowed twice and culti- 

 vated once ; then furrowed four feet one way, and three and 

 one-half feet the other, making the rows both ways. Dunged 

 one shovelful in the hill, compost manure. The bluepods were 

 planted the 18th of May, on one side of the hill, the manure 

 being first covered with dirt. About the 8th of June the mar- 

 rowfats were planted on the other side of the hill. They were 

 cultivated twice both ways, and hoed once. The marrowfats 

 got ripe first and could be easily distinguished from the others 

 — no trouble in separating. These beans were poorly planted 

 and poorly hoed, by a hired boy, at his stent. Dropped four 

 and five in a hill, but one-half did not come and grow. 



Respectfully submitted and certified to the 1st day of De- 

 cember, 1856." 



Statement of Columbus Sawyer. I hereby certify that I 

 raised on one acre of land what we called seventy bushels by 

 measuring it in the ear, for the corn is not shelled. 



Mode op Culture. The land was planted the previous year 

 one-half to corn and the other half to beans. After harvesting, 

 it was plowed from eight to ten inches deep, and left in the fur- 

 row until the 16th of May; it was then harrowed across the 

 furrow, then lengthwise, and cultivated in like manner to the 

 depth of six inches ; then harrowed again both ways ; then fur- 

 rowed three and a half feet from the centre of one to the other 

 both ways ; then a shovelful of manure put in each hill taken 

 from the barn-yard the fall before and laid in a heap ; the ma- 

 nure was covered with a hoe, making the hill ten or twelve 



