106 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



[Statement of George "W. Humphrey of Rochester.] 



It appears by Mr. Humphrey's statement that he planted 

 about twenty-one acres to corn the present year, about five 

 acres of which had been in grass for the last two years, and 

 the balance planted to corn last year, manured with eight 

 hundred pounds of Brighton fertilizer and seventy-five 

 pounds of muriate of potash to the acre. The land was 

 IDloughcd last fall about six inches deep. In the spring, about 

 eight tons and a half of Darling's animal fertilizer was sown 

 broadcast with a machine, and harrowed in with the Randall 

 harrow. Tlie land was then bushed and marked both ways, 

 three feet and a half apart. It was planted with a hand- 

 planter about the middle of Ma)^ a man being able to 

 plant about four acres per day. After planting, it was again 

 bushed, to insure the filling of all the holes made by the 

 planter. The corn came up evenly and well ; the rows were 

 straight ; and (no manure having been used) there were but 

 few weeds, making the cost of cultivation small. About 

 half the corn was cut up and shocked : the rest, left to ripen 

 in the field, was husked from the hill, and the stover then 

 rolled down and ploughed under. There were 81,160 pounds 

 of sound ears, which, reckoning eighty pounds equal to one 

 bushel (which is thought to be a fair estimate), would make 

 1,014J bushels of shelled corn. No account was kept of the 

 unsound ears, of which there were, probably, some forty 

 baskets. The expense of the crop was very much lessened 

 by the large size of the fields and the use of improved 

 machinery. Mr. Humphrey thinks, that, if the stover had 

 all been saved, there would have been about thirty-six tons, 

 and he estimates it to be worth eight dollars per ton ; but, as 

 hay is low tliis year, six dollars per ton would probably be 

 nearer. The account of the crop is as follows : Ploughing 

 twenty-one acres, thirty-one dollars and a half; fertilizer 

 and applying, three hundred and forty-two dollars ; harrow- 

 ing, nine dollars ; bushing twice, four dollars and a half ; 

 marking, seven dollars and a half ; seed and planting, nine 

 dollars ; lines, &c., four dollars ; cultivating, twenty-one dol- 

 lars ; hoeing, fifty-two dollars and a half ; shocking, thirty- 

 one dollars and a half ; binders, five dollars ; husking, sixty 



