INDIAN COEN. 135 



tal in stock has improved at least five hundred dollars. He 

 goes still further, and says the improvement of his farm is 

 sure cash in bank to the amount of one thousand dollars. If 

 this statement is to be relied upon, it would amount to the 

 small sum often thousand dollars. During that time he has 

 sold no wood from the place. He is ready and willing to 

 come before the board and prove this statement. So much 

 for the quacks and gentlemen farmers. 



I have prepared and manured the land for my potatoes the 

 same as for the corn. I harvested and weighed six hills of 

 corn. I also dug six hills of potatoes beside the corn, as an 

 experiment. The result was : Sixteen and one-eighth pounds 

 of corn, twenty-three and three-quarters pounds of potatoes. 

 Twenty pounds first quality potatoes, worth one centper pound ; 

 second quality, three and three-quarters pounds, worth one-half 

 cent per pound — making twenty-two cents for the potatoes. 

 Corn at one and a half cents per pound, twenty-four cents — 

 leaving out the fraction ; one bundle of top-stalks, two cents ; 

 but-stalks, two cents — making for the corn twenty-eight 

 cents ; besides the potato-seed cost five per cent, more than 

 the corn. I think I can drop and cover two acres of corn in 

 the time that it will take me to drop and cover one acre of 

 potatoes. 



You see, gentlemen, how the corn-crop defies all others. 

 I have seen in Mr. John Johnson's statement of 1871, that his 

 corn cost him forty-two cents per bushel ; and I think his ex- 

 periment and explanation worthy of the commendation of all 

 practical farmers, though I have heard a great many quacks 

 actually discrediting his statement and saying that corn could 

 not be raised for forty-two cents. I will try and show them 

 that it can be raised for less. When you travel on the road 

 and meet a field with a fine growth of weeds, almost covering 

 the corn and other crops, there lives a quack farmer. He 

 may get fifteen to twenty bushels of corn to the acre — poor 

 quality at that. 



Gentlemen, I have tried to explain my idea on the merits 

 of the unrivalled corn-crop. I will now give you my idea on 

 the preparation of the soil. I have already described the 

 quality of the soil and crop of 1871. Ploughed, the first part 

 of May, 1872, three acres and a half, six inches deep. 



