GRAIN CROPS. 



227 



HAMPDEN. 



Statement of William Matloon, of Springfield. 



Western Corn grown in Massachusetts. — The land on which 

 I grew this corn is commonly called sand-plain, and is S-Jg 8 ^ acres 

 in extent. I have owned it five years. The first year a crop of 

 rye was taken off, yielding about 9 bushels per acre. Since that 

 it has lain idle, it being too poor to produce grass. Last season 

 it was ploughed twice, ten inches deep. This season, just before 

 planting, put on twelve cords hog, horse and cattle manure to 

 the acre, which was spread and immediately ploughed in ten 

 inches deep. Then took six hundred pounds of salt and two 

 hundred pounds of plaster to the acre, mixed, and spread broad- 

 cast, and harrowed thoroughly. Next, I marked the ground 

 into squares with a four-toothed marker, making the rows come 

 3| feet apart. 



On the 9th and 10th of May, planted the yellow-dent corn, 

 taken from a car load of second quality (there being none other 

 in market) from Peoria, 111. Nothing was put in the hills with 

 the corn. 



expenses op the crop. 



Ploughing 3 times, two days each, at $4 a day, 



Harrowing two days, at $4 a day, . 



40| cords of manure, at $ 8 per cord, 



1,900 pounds of salt, at 813 per ton, 



600 pounds of plaster, at $11 per ton, 



Hauling 40| cords of manure, at $ I a cord, . 



Spreading manure two days, -11.75 a day, 



Mixing and spreading salt and plaster, . 



| bushel of seed corn, at 80 cents a bushel, 



4-|- days planting, at $1.75 a day, including board, 



1 day, man and horse, cultivating first time, . 



5| days, first hoeing, at 11.75, 



1^ days, cultivating second time, both ways, . 



4 days, second hoeing, at $1.75, 



4f days, topping stalks, at $1.75, . 



Husking, by contract, . 



Hauling corn to barn, . 



Interest on land, .... 



JL (lAl'b|) •••••• 



$516 89 



