40 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



years till last year, when a fair crop of rye was grown upon 

 it without manure or dressing. Had the corn preceded the 

 rye, the yield would probably have been larger, and the appar- 

 ent cost per bushel less. We say apparent, because we do 

 not admit that any one can take a crop of corn from a field 

 without reducing the value of that field, unless he pre- 

 viously applies an equivalent in the shape of dressing of 

 some kind. 



Mr. Littlefield and Mr. Copeland both used stable-manure 

 applied in the hill, Mr. Copeland using more than Mr. Little- 

 field, as, from the character of the soil in the two fields, we 

 should presume he would be obliged to in order to obtain 

 an equal crop. Mr. Porter used guano ploughed under, that 

 method seeming to work well last year ; but, the season not 

 having been so dry, it is quite possible he would have done 

 better this year, had he placed it nearer the surface. Mr. 

 Littlefield's corn was remarkably sound, less than one per 

 cent being called pig-corn. His corn was not, however, at 

 the time of harvest as dry, and in as good condition, as either 

 of the other crops. We therefore caused ten pounds of his 

 ears, and also of Mr. Copeland's, to be laid aside for two or 

 three weeks, and then re-weighed. At the second weighing 

 Mr. Littlefield's weighed eight pounds and a half, and Mr. 

 Copeland's nine pounds and a quarter. This test was thought 

 to be a fair one ; and, as it agreed very well with our own 

 observation of the two crops, it was decided to make a 

 reduction of seven and a half per cent from the weight of 

 Mr. Littlefield's corn before proceeding to compute the cost 

 per bushel. We have again taken eighty pounds of ears as 

 equivalent to a bushel, or fifty-six pounds, of shelled corn ; 

 for, after the reduction mentioned in Mr. Littlefield's, the 

 crops were all in good condition. Mr. Littlefield (after dis- 

 counting the seven and a half per cent) had 5,164 pounds 

 of ears, equal to sixty-four bushels and a half; Mr. Cope- 

 land had 4,800 pounds, equal to sixty bushels; and Mr. 

 Porter had 2,958 pounds, equal to thirty-seven bushels of 

 shelled corn. 



With regard to the amount and value of the stover, all 

 three of the competitors cut up and shocked their corn, there- 

 fore the fodder is of nearly equal value per ton. Mr. Little- 

 field and also Mr. Porter tested the weight of the fodder in a 



