MAINE STATE SOCIETY. 27 



alluvial or interval of dark color, being almost entirely decomposed 

 vegetable matter, with very little clay or fine sand, but no stones, 

 gravel or coarse sand ; this character of the soil continues to the 

 depth of from six to ten feet, where it rests upon what was the bot- 

 tom of the Piscataquis river., upon the north bank of which is this 

 field. This land was originally covered with very heavy maples, 

 birch, oak, elm and basswood growth, and was cleared more than 

 forty years ago. It is said to have been an Indian camping ground. 

 Since 1820 it has been in grass most of the time, yielding good 

 crops, but being occasionally plough(!d and cultivated, it has given * 

 heavy crops of wheat, oats, potatoes, &c., with very little or no 

 manure. The grass sod was turned under eight inches deep in May, 

 1858, and immediately sowed to oats, which attained an immense 

 growth, but rusted and lodged badly, and yielded but 42 bushels of 

 light oats to the acre, while it gave promise of more than 50 bush- 

 els. Immediately after the oat crop was taken off, the ground was 

 ploughed eight inches deep, and in April, 1859, 3| acres was sowed 

 to peas, and oats and peas, without manure ; and in May two acres 

 were planted to potatoes, with 40 common cart loads of barn-yard 

 manure ploughed in four inches deep. These crops were very fine, 

 the potatoes yielding 350 bushels to the acre, and the peas, and 

 oats and peas, very heavy. 



Immediately after these crops were taken off, the ground was 

 ploughed about six inches deep, (say in Sept or first of Oct..) and 

 50 loads common unrotted barn-yard manure spread on that part 

 sowed to oats and peas and to peas, and not manured in the spring, 

 and harrowed in. On the 25th April, 1860, sowed broadcast ten 

 bushels Canada club wheat and 75 bushels clover chaff. I harrowed 

 and rolled the ground with heavy roller. That part of the field 

 upon which was grown the peas alone gave much the best crop, but 

 was some three or four days later in rioening. There was very 

 little difference in the oat and pea ground and the potato ground, 

 but the potato ground was a little the best. 



The crop was harvested (cradled and shooked) between the 24th 

 day of Aug. and 1st Sept., and threshed and measured the 20th 

 Sept., being thoroughly seasoned and fit for grinding. 



Dr. Crop of Wheat. Cr. 



To plowing once, 'Ik days, . . S7 50 j By 187 bushels at $2 per bushel, $374 00 



12 cords barn-yard manure, . 36 00 I 



Cartiog and applying the same, . 5 00 'Straw, 30 00 



Harrowing and rolling, . . 5 00 I 



Sowiag, 1 00 



Harvesting and housing, . . 30 00 



Threshing and cleaning, . . 30 00 



10 bushel.^ seed, . . . 20 00 

 Manure left from former crop of 



potatoes, two acres, . . 10 00 



$144 50 



Manure left in soil for future 



crops, estimated, . . . 20 00 



$424 00 

 Deduct cost, .... 144 50 



Profit, . . . . $279 50 



