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140 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



The following is a synopsis of the weather for the five months 

 required. 



Statement of Levi Stockbridge. 



1800. Having entered my name on the list of competitors 

 for the premium offered by you for the best experiment to 

 ascertain the right method of applying manure, I present the 

 following as the result of that experiment. 



I selected one and one-half acres for the experiment, of a 

 light, sandy loam soil, whicli was mown in 1858 and 1859, 

 without any application of manure. It was divided into five 

 equal parts, on four of which a compost was applied at the rate 

 of twenty loads per acre. The directions of your circular were 

 complied with respecting the ploughing and the planting, and 

 the after cultivation was to hoe and cultivate it three times. 

 On lot No. 1 the manure was ploughed in eight inches ; No. 2, 

 ploughed in four inches ; No. 3, harrowed in ; No. 4, spread on 

 the surface, after planting; No. 5 had no manure. It was 

 planted with Indian corn. The crop was cut and stacked 

 the 22d of September, husked the 28th and 29th of October, 

 and shelled the 4th of January. 



The yield was as follows : Lot No. 1 — 12 bushels, 4 quarts, 

 1 pint, yielding 17 quarts, 1 pint, 3 gills of shelled corn to the 

 bushel of ears, and weighing 59 pounds per bushel ; this yield was 

 40 bushels, 15 quarts per acre. No. 2 — 9 bushels, 31 quarts ; a 

 bushel of cars gave 18 quarts of shelled corn, and weighed 61^ 

 pounds per bushel ; this yield was 33 bushels, 13 quarts per 

 acre. No. 3 — 9 bushels, 29 quarts, giving 19 quarts of shelled 

 corn to a bushel of ears, and weighing 61] pounds per bushel; 

 this yield was 33 bushels j)er aci-e. No. 4 — 8 bushels, 14 

 (]uai ts, 1 pint, yielding 18 quarts, 1 pint of shelled corn to a 



