130 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



spread, it makes but little difference whether it is covered with 

 soil one inch or six, but we should use every exertion to apply 

 as large a quantity, and of as good a quality, as we possibly can. 



Statement of Alonzo P. Benson. 



Having entered as a competitor for the premium offered for 

 an experiment in the application of manure, commencing in 

 1861, 1 will now give you the result. 



The weather, while the hay crop was growing, was as follows : 



The grass was a mixture of clover, bluegrass and timothy, 

 and was cut the first day of July. When well cured it weighed 

 as follows : — 



Plot No. 1, 1st crop, 406 lbs. 2d crop, 150 lbs. Total, 556 lbs. 

 u 2, " 474 " " 255 " " 729 " 



u 2,, " 490 " " 255 " " 745 " 



u 5^ a X71 u u 80 " " 251 " 



I have given you the amount of the first and second crop 

 separately, and as you have had a statement of the mode of 

 cultivation for the two years past, I will now give you an 

 account of the income of each plot for each of the three years. 



Plot No. 1. 



1861. 1,244 lbs. corn, worth $12.44, 700 lbs. fodder, 



$2.80, 40 lbs. potatoes, 33 cents, Total, $15 57 



1862. 163 lbs. oats, $3.26, 229 lbs. straw, $1.18, " 4 44 



1863. 556 lbs. hay, 4 17 



Total on Plot No. 1, for three years, . . $24 18 



The manure that was applied to the plot the first 



year, taken out of the income, . . . . . 10 00 



Leaves, for labor and use of land, .... $14 18 



