BROOMCORN. 275 



compost manure on the acre, applying it in the hill, and planted 

 it the 20th of May ; hills two feet four inches, and rows about 

 two and a half feet apart. Hoed three times, taking great care 

 the first and second times to have the stalks left so that no one 

 should crowd its neighbor to the injury of either. I harvested 

 about the 10th of October. Finished the scraping the 13th of 

 November. 



The following is the value of the crop, and the expenses, as 

 near as I can estimate them. 



Value of crop : — 

 1,159 lbs of brush, at 7 cts. per lb,, 



88 bushels of seed, at 45 cts. per bush., 

 Total value. 



Expenses : — 

 Manure, ...... 



Ploughing and planting. 



Hoeing, $8 ; harvesting and scraping, $10, 



Interest on land, ..... 



Total, .... 



Net profit on one acre, . . $80 73 



Sunderland, November 15, 1856. 



Statement of W. Austin Smith. 



The piece of broomcorn entered for premium contains one 

 acre and four rods of sandy loam. In 1855, it was in a low 

 state of cultivation. Ten loads of good barn manure were 

 ploughed in, and the piece was planted with broomcorn. The 

 yield was 700 lbs. of brush, and 50 bushels of seed. After har- 

 vesting, the stalks were harrowed down, and ploughed in nine 

 inches deep, last spring, and rolled down smooth. On three- 

 fourths of it, oOO lbs. of guano mixed with 150 lbs. of plaster, 

 were sown broadcast and ploughed in ; on the remaining por- 

 tion four loads of good manure were scattered in the furrow, 

 and planted the 18th of May with Woodward's planter, dropping 

 a little plaster in the hill, and about five quarts of seed per 

 acre ; the rows, three feet apart, and hills in the rows two 

 and a half feet ; cultivated level, hoed three times and harvested 



