148 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



DEERFIELD VALLEY. 



Statement of S, W. Hall. 



Wheat. — The quantity of land sowed, 1| acres. The 

 crop upon the laud in the year 1873 was grass, without man- 

 ure. In 1874, the crop was corn ; four cords of manure was 

 used per acre ; yield, fifty bushels per acre. The land was in 

 good condition ; in the spring of 1875 it was ploughed six 

 inches in depth ; was sowed May 1 with wheat, and well har- 

 rowed. Harvested in August ; yield, forty-one bushels ; value 

 of same, $61.50; \\ tons straw; value, $15; total value of 



crop, $76.50. 



Cost of Crop. 



Ploughing and sowing, . $6 00 



Three bushels seed-wheat, 

 Harvesting and threshing, 

 Use of storage. 



Total, 

 Net profit. 



I practise soaking my seed in strong brine before sowing, 

 to prevent smut, which is an effectual remedy. 



Statement of A. JR. White. 



Field Wheat. — The field of wheat which I enter for 

 premium contains one acre. The soil is a clayey loam, with 

 heavy clay subsoil. The crop of 1873 was barley, with no 

 manure. The crop of 1874 was corn, with thirty loads of 

 thirty bushels each of cattle-manure, ploughed in. For the 

 present crop it was ploughed but once ; no manure was used, 

 and it was sowed to wheat the seventeenth day of May ; two 

 bushels to the acre of seed, — China-tea and red-club mixed. 

 The sixth day of August cradled and bound the piece, the 

 straw standing perfectly erect. The acre yielded 1,845 

 pounds of wheat, 30| bushels, and 2,185 pounds of straw. 

 Not more than two-thirds of the straw is included in the 

 weight, for, it being weedy at the bottom, and as I was to 

 plough and seed it this fall, I cut it high, wishing to plough 

 in as much of the straw as I could. I charge ten dollars to 



