50 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



dry, in the spring. It adds compactness to the soil, and spreads 

 the stocks of the wheat, that often come up in clusters. The 

 same advantages are apparent, as in rolling newly laid down 

 grass land, — pressing in the roots, which have become exposed 

 and thrown out by the action of frost. 



I should urge the cultivation of winter wheat in preference 

 to spring, for good and valid reasons. First, the yield will be 

 far greater. Second, the quality of grain much better. Third, 

 (and the great desideratum,) the grain will ripen three to four 

 weeks earlier than spring sown, being in advance of the season 

 of rust, which often overtakes spring wheat in its ripening 

 process. I trust the subject of wheat growing will become of 

 more importance to New England farmers generally ; and when 

 they shall have tried and fairly tested the experiment, I feel 

 sanguine, no man calling himself a farmer, will overlook this 

 valuable crop. 



North Andover, Sept. 24, 1849, 



Joshua Fosses Statement. 



I offer for premium, a crop of Indian corn, obtained from an 

 acre of land, and measuring two hundred and five bushels of 

 ears, or one hundred and two and a half bushels of corn, to the 

 acre. The corn is the eight-rowed yellow kind, — not the largest, 

 but of medium size, — and was planted the first and second 

 days of May; land, a dark loam, with a light subsoil. In 1847, 

 the land was broken up, and planted with corn and potatoes, 

 and well manured in the hill. In 1848. about three-quarters of 

 the land Avas sowed with oats and barley, without manure ; the 

 other quarter was manured, at the rate of twenty loads to the 

 acre, spread on, and planted with potatoes. 



In 1849, I spread on twenty-five cart loads of stable manure, 

 thirty-five bushels to the load, and ploughed in at least eight 

 inches deep. The ground was harrowed and furrowed -. the 

 rows three feet apart, the hills two and a half feet, and fifteen 

 loads dropped in the hills ; the corn dropped, and carefully cov- 

 ered. 



