266 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



many other kinds of vegetables, I manure in the hill. The 

 second year, I put in a root-crop, and spread the manure on 

 broadcast, putting it under with a wheelbarrow, or plough 

 very shallow, just enough to cover the manure. I think that 

 the nearer the surface you can have the manure, and have it 

 well covered, the better for all crops, not excepting the grass- 

 crop. The power of a light covering of earth to prevent the 

 escape of ammonia is wonderful. 



Now, having got the land into grass, I will give you one 

 or two experiments showing the cost, and also the product 

 of the different pieces. 



In the summer of 1868 I entered one piece of two acres 

 and seven-eighths for premium. The committee visited me in 

 the fall. I give you their account and comments. I would 

 say, that, on this piace, I did not have so many large stones 

 to blast, or trees to dig out, as on many tracts I have sub- 

 dued ; nor did I plough it as much as I have land since. 



Mr. William R. Putnam says, " Three of the committee 

 visited this piece of land in September, and were pleased 

 with the improvements made upon it. It will be seen by the 

 statement of Mr. Webster, that he was liberal in his expense, 

 having spent over twelve hundred dollars for labor, seed, and 

 manure, on less than three acres in three years. But, large 

 as the expenditure was, the income was still larger. We 

 have looked at 'the amount of sales from this piece for the 

 three years with some care. It will be seen that the prices 

 were the highest retail ones, so that he must have carried 

 the crop to the consumer. Pie was fortunate in having a 

 large part of it planted with potatoes in 1864, which he sold 

 for four hundred and thirty dollars. Again, in 1865, he was 

 fortunate in having so many squashes, when they sold high. 



In 1866 his crops appear to have been much larger, but 

 his sales were not as large. He has not given us any esti- 

 mate of the expense of marketing the crops. In the balance 

 which he has struck, it appears that he has made $'953. 15 

 by Iris operation. The committee think that twenty per cent 

 should be deducted for marketing ; and, if we leave out of 

 the account the three hundred and fifty dollars, the estimated 

 improvements of the land, we shall have about three hundred 

 and fifty dollars gain. The committee awarded to him the 

 first premium of fifteen dollars." 



