140 



MASSACHUSETTS AGEICULTUKE. 



The crop of 1870 was grass of very poor quality and small 

 in quantity. The land had been in grass many years, and 

 most of it was low and wet. In the summer and fall of that 

 year I drained the whole piece, of which this is a portion, 

 with tile-drains. 



The crop of 1871 was corn, and from two and a half to three 

 cords of stable-manure were used. The soil varies from a 

 peaty to a gravelly loam. The manure was carted on and 

 ploughed in during the autumn of 1871, and the laud was 

 cross-ploughed in the spring. The depth of the ploughing 

 was from seven to eight inches. The seed was sown May 17, 

 by machine, in drills about thirty inches apart. The plants 

 were thinned out to twelve or fifteen inches apart in the rows. 

 In reckoning the labor, although more than one man and also 

 horses were employed, I have calculated the time on the basis 

 of one man's work for a day. 



Br. 



4 cords of manure, 



\ bushel agricultural salt, 

 \\ days' ploughing, 

 21 daj^s' ridging and sowing, 



6 days' hoeing and thinning, 



5 days' harvesting, 

 4 pounds seed. 

 Interest and taxes. 



Total, 



7 22 



Cr. 

 36,000 pounds, or 18 tons of mangolds, equal to 600 



bushels at 25 cents per bushel, . . . 150 00 



Balance to Cr.. 



. $72 78 



As we are considering only the marketable portion of the 

 crop, we have not taken into account the leaves, which accord- 

 ing to analysis are as valuable as the roots themselves. 



It mijjht be a matter for consideration also as to how much 

 of the manure remains in the soil for future crops. The use 



