THE INDIAN CORN CROP. 33 



I have already given you. I applied the material for fifty 

 bushels of corn to a piece of land, and my crop was ninety- 

 four bushels. This is the other side of it. Now the corn on 

 that piece of land, at seventy-five cents a bushel, amounts to 

 $102.52, and the stalks to $32, on that acre of land. Now 

 the cost of the material is to be taken from the value of the 

 crop. The cost of the material for the fifty bushels of corn 

 was $20.50. I got ninety-four bushels of corn for $20.50, 

 and I have got $82.02 on my crop to pay for my labor, ray 

 taxes and my interest, — it being supposed that in Massachu- 

 setts, ordinarily, the natural yield of the land will pay for the 

 labor, its taxes and its interest ; and if it will not do it, you 

 had better sell it and buy land that will, — this question being 

 simply a question of feeding plants above what the natural 

 production of the land is. 



I thank you, gentlemen, for your attention and your 

 patience. 



Dr. Wakefield, of Monson (who was called to the chair 

 in consequence of Dr. Loring being obliged to leave). You 

 have heard the interesting experiments of Prof. Stockbridge, 

 and the conclusions drawn therefrom. The next subject is a 

 discussion upon Indian Corn and the Grain-crops. Mr, Hap- 

 good, of Shrewsbury, is understood to be ready to open this 

 discussion. 



Mr. Hapgood said : — 



The grain-crop always was, and always will be, the great 

 staple of the civilized world, the very foundation of agri- 

 culture, and the most important of all crops. 



There has been much said and published the last three or 

 four years to discourage New England farmers from cultivat- 

 ing grain-crops, especially Indian corn, which has succeeded 

 too well in persuading many to discontinue raising any kind 

 of grain ; but they have learnt by the experience of two or 

 three years that it is cheaper to raise grain than to buy it, and 

 many of them have gone back to the old mode of raising 

 grain and general farm crops, which is the only profitable way 

 of farming. 



I shall address you principally on the corn-crop, to which I 

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