150 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



The farrows were three feet apart, and were strown with com- 

 post manure. The potatoes were cut into from two to four 

 pieces, according to their size, and dropped twelve inches apart, 

 being covered immediately, while the manure was fresh. They 

 were cultivated at the first hoeing, and ploughed lightly at the 

 second. The yield was two hundred and thirty-four bushels, 

 on one hundred and fifty rods of land. 



2d, Corn. — One acre and a half was assigned for this crop. 

 The manure was ploughed in ten inches deep, with the fine 

 plough, five cords of manure being used to the acre. The corn 

 was planted with a corn-planter, which put the seed as much as 

 four inches l^elow the mean surface. Nine rows were planted 

 with the hoe, with the same quantity of plaster in the hill as 

 was used in the machine. At the first hoeing, a compost, con- 

 sisting of guano, ashes, plaster and soil, was put around 

 each hill and covered by the hoe. These nine rows took the 

 lead, and kept it until the drought set in, when they fell back, 

 and were nearly spoiled ; while that part planted so deep by 

 the machine, endured the drought better and produced the 

 corn. The crop was estimated to have been injured about one- 

 half, but the yield was sixty-five bushels. 



3d, Oats. — Three-fourths of an acre planted, the plough No. 

 0, one-horse plough, drawn by two horses, was sunk to the 

 depth of eight inches. It was dressed over by two cords of 

 compost and eight bushels of oyster shell lime, and was stocked 

 down to grass with a peck of Herds-grass and four pounds of 

 clover seed. The yield of oats from this ground was estimated 

 to 1)0 fifty -five bushels. 



4th, Cabbages. — Three-fourths of an acre appropriated to 

 tliis crop, and the ground was ploughed twice, ten inches deep, 

 and dressed over with five cords of compost manure. The 

 heads were large and compact, the variety being the Flat Dutch. 

 I have sold one hundred dollars worth from the lot, and have 

 two hundred heads left. 



In regard to the potatoes, I would remark that those on lot 

 B were planted by pushing them with the fingers, between the 

 furrows, two and three inches deep, into the mellow earth, and 

 I believe it was owing to this method of planting, that they 

 endured the drought so much better than those in lot A. 



Second, Mowing^ Land. — My mowing land, comprising nine 



