CAN WE AFFORD TO RAISE CORN. 117 



two or three crops, so as to have it come along in the hot season, 

 in August and September, when our pastures begin to fail, and 

 there is a period of three or four weeks when this can be used 

 with very excellent results, as food for milch cows. I think the 

 corn fodder resulting from a field of corn is of very great value 

 for milk. I have found that my cows always felt the influence 

 of corn fodder, and I esteem it very highly ; but in estimating 

 the cost of my corn, I do not include that, I call that nothing, 

 although I think so highly of it as food for milch cows. 



I should like to hear the experience of some of the gentlemen 

 present, in regard to the cost of raising corn. 1 do not see why 

 we cannot raise all the corn we use in Massachusetts. It seems 

 to me that we ought to raise it. It is certainly a profitable 

 crop, or has been with me. 



Mr. Johnson. I will explain why I asked the question. 

 Oar Middlesex South Society have, for several years, offered a 

 premium for the best experiment in raising corn, and this year 

 the president offered a premium of fifty dollars for the best 

 experiment. The chairman of the committee last year stated 

 that he did not think corn could be raised short of $1.50 a 

 bushel, and the president of the society said he would give this 

 premium of fifty dollars, for he wanted to know whether corn 

 could be raised to a profit in Massachusetts or not. There were 

 four competitors for the premium, myself among them, and we 

 were of course obliged to keep an accurate account of the cost 

 of the corn, and the committee were required to appoint some 

 individual to superintend the harvesting, and weigh all the 

 corn. Well, the corn varied in quantity, and of course in the 

 cost. When the commitee met to examine the statements and 

 award the premium, the chairman again said that it was his 

 opinion, notwithstanding it was stated that some of the corn 

 was raised at less than fifty cents a bushel, that there could not 

 be a bushel of corn raised in Massachusetts under $1.50. He 

 lives in the town of Southborough, and owns some of the most 

 fertile land in the county of Worcester, and is a good farmer. 

 His name is Peter Fay, and he is the man who sold the famous 

 Peters farm to Mr. Peters. He has always been a farmer, and 

 that was his opinion. 



Now, I cannot state the figures in regard to the other exper- 

 iments, but I can state my own. I raised ninety-three bushels 



