68 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



No. 5. Hog manure, .... 14^ lbs. of ears. 



" 6. Bones, ashes, loam and urine, . 13f " " 



'4 



" 7. Guano, . . 31 stalks 49 ears, 21^ " 



u 



Nos. 1,2,3, and 7, had one table spoonful to the hill. Thirty 

 hills to the square rod. 



HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND HAMPDEN. 



Statement of J. E. Porter. 



The land is situated upon the plain, too far from home to 

 receive benefit from the barnyard. It is a sandy loam, having 

 been frequently cropped with rye, the crop of 1854 being about 

 five bushels per acre. Some four years ago, wishing to try the 

 effects of the wonder-working guano upon this land, I piirchased, 

 and having carefully composted with seven parts of earth, I ap- 

 plied it to the hill at the rate of 100 lbs. per acre, and planted to 

 corn. At the first hoeing I was greatly surprised at the healthy 

 appearance of the crop ; and it continued to grow vigorously, 

 outstripping, for a few weeks, the corn upon my best land. My 

 expectations were greatly raised, and I thought, surely this 

 guano is a uwtiderful thing-. But at earing time a change had 

 come over my field of corn. It had assumed a sickly appear- 

 ance, and I found the guano, in its haste to produce stalks, had 

 expended all its force, and there was nothing left for ears. My 

 crop was a failure. I came to the conclusion that if I had 

 treated my poor starved land more liberally with guano, I should 

 have been amply repaid at harvest time. I have practised since 

 on this plan, and have had my reward. 



The field of corn contains about five acres. Near one end of 

 the field is a muck swamp, from which I hauled and applied 

 muck, at the rate of about ten loads per acre. This was spread 

 over the surface, and four hundred pounds of guano per acre 

 sown broadcast, and the whole ploughed under to the depth 

 of six inches. At harvest time I measured from the field three 

 acres, and give you the result : — 



Ploughing, tlu'ce acres, . . . . $6 00 



Planting with machine, $1.50; rolling, $1, . 2 50 

 Seed corn, $1 ; hoeing, twice, $6, . . 7 00 



