GRAIN CROPS. 177 



GRAIN CROPS. 



ESSEX. 



Statement of Benjamin P. Ware. 



Indian Corn. — The acre of land upon which grew the crop 

 of corn that I offer for your consideration is a dark loam, nine 

 inches deep, resting upon a gravelly subsoil, — rather light but 

 not leachy land. Last year, in April, there were spread upon 

 it four cords of compost manure; it was ploughed in, and it 

 was then sowed with oats. June 10th the oats had attained 

 quite a large growth ; they were turned under and the land 

 sowed with carrots, which failed to grow on account of the dry 

 weather ; late in July I sowed flat turnips, and they produced 

 a large crop. This year — May 14th — I spread upon four-fifths 

 of the land eight cords of manure ; on the other fifth no 

 manure was used, and it produced in proportion to the 

 manured part, as three to five. The manure was composed 

 of meadow mud, kelp, and barn manure, the whole drenched 

 with night-soil. This manure was applied at different depths, 

 the particulars of which are given in my statement of experi- 

 ments with manures. The land was ploughed eight inches 

 deep, cross-ploughed four inches deep, and harrowed ; then 

 planted, on the 17th of May, with King Philip corn, six 

 kernels in a hill, in rows three and one-half feet apart, and 

 the same distance between the hills. The corn was scarified or 

 horse-hoed three times and hand-hoed twice during the season ; 

 not a weed was allowed to grow. 



October 6th it was cut close to the ground and stocked up. 

 November 3d, it being dry and in good order, I had the whole 

 crop weighed, stored in the barn, and husked it out evenings. 

 The cost and value of the crop I estimate as follows : — 



Whole weight of crop, 15,730 lbs. 



AVeight of sound ears, .... 6,721 lbs. 

 Weight of unsound ears, . . . 184 



Weight of sound and unsound ears, . . . 6,905 lbs. 

 Weiglit of stover, 8,825 



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