152 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



George Hayes'' Statement. 



I wish to enter for premium a crop of corn raised by me on 

 the farm of the late Thomas Bancroft, in Beverly. The land 

 contained one acre, as measured by a sworn surveyor. It had 

 been in corn and potatoes the year previously, 1852, but how 

 manured, I am unable to say, as it was then carried on by 

 another person; but the land is of good quality. It was 

 ploughed last spring, and manured in the hill with a compost of 

 barn and hog manure and sea weed — a good shovelful to the 

 hill. It was planted about the first of May, and though so 

 early, the corn came up well, with a good strong growth. It 

 was cultivated and hoed twice thoroughly, and weeded once 

 after haying, so that the ground is left entirely free of weeds. 

 Thorough weeding and stirring of the soil I consider of more 

 importance to secure a good corn crop than high manuring. 

 The corn was topped about the middle of September, and 

 ■ harvested early in October. It was measured in the ear in 

 bushel baskets, and found to contain one hundred and forty-four 

 baskets of sound ears. The corn has lain in the bin ever since, 

 and this morning two baskets of ears — the same baskets as 

 were used in measuring before — were shelled and found to 

 contain sixty-two pounds of shelled corn. 



The corn is the eight-rowed corn. It was planted three and 

 a half feet apart — five stalks left in a hill, and many of the 

 stalks produced twin ears. 



Beverly, Nov. 14, 1853. 



Hermon P. Chandlcr''s Statement. 



I offer for premium one acre of corn and white beans, from 

 which I harvested one hundred and forty-six baskets of ears of 

 corn. PLantcd in 1852 with corn — yield about seventy bushels 

 of shelled corn per acre. Ploughed in the fall. It was manured 

 in the spring of 1853; seven cords of compost manure, two- 

 thirds of it spread and ploughed in, and the remainder put in 

 the hills. Planted the 20th of May with the golden Sioux corn ; 

 hills three feet eight inches apart each way — four stalks to the 

 hill. After the corn was up, planted the beans beside each hill 



