100 



justify our conclusion ; for the growth of weeds was very rank ; and 

 in spite of one hand-weeding, the ciop was nearly stifled. This fact 

 uo doubt accounts in large part for the unsatisfactory nature of our 

 results. • 



This land, had been ploughed the previous fall, and during the 

 winter had received an application of barn-cellar manure, at the rate 

 of about six cords per acre. This application would not have been 

 made had we known for what the land would be used. After 

 ploughing in the spring we applied to the entire area cotton-seed meal 

 500 pounds ; muriate of potash, 150 pounds; and nitrate of soda, 

 100 pounds. The growth of both weeds and flax was very luxuriant 

 and a considerable portion of the crop lodged. 



We obtained 41 quarts only of seed and 650 pounds of straw. The 

 " Pure Riga" variety stood up much better than either of the others 

 and from this quarter acre we abtained 21 quarts of seed. 



Our total expenses for labor amounted to $40.30 ; the crop can be 

 worth but a very few dollars. This experiment does not, perhaps, 

 prove that profitable flax culture is impossible in Massachusetts, 

 because our failure was due in large part to the unsuitability of the 

 land ; but it has satisfied me that we have no land upon our farm 

 which can profitably be used in raising this crop, the returns from 

 which, even under the best conditions are far below those which may 

 confidently be looked for from other crops requiring but a very small 

 proportion of the labor required by this. Hand weeding a flax crop 

 sown broadcast, hand pulling, etc., are not likely to prove remunera- 

 tive under present conditions. 



Wheats. Several varieties of winter wheats sent us by the cele- 

 brated English seedsmen, Carter & Co., at the request of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture have been under trial. They were 

 sown in drills, one foot apart, upon medium loam and gave a 

 yield at the rate of from about six to twelve bushels per acre. All 

 these wheats are late as compared with American varieties and more 

 susceptible to rust. They do not appear to be suited to our climate. 

 The destruction of our records by fire makes it impossible to 

 compare the varieties by name. We could do so by numbers, of 

 course, but the results are not deemed of sufl3cient importance to 

 deserve more extended notice. 



Japanese Varieties of Beans. The varieties of beans which we 

 have had under cultivation all belong to two distinct classes, known 



