No. 4.] FIELD CROPS. 



Mere aggregates, however, signify little. The product 

 per acre is far more important. Here we find little occasion 

 for self-satisfaction. The average per acre in Great Britain 

 and Ireland is l < Ji ) bushels. In the United States, in the ten 

 years from 1870-79, the average was 87.7 bushels; in the 

 nine years from 1880-88 it was 7G.3 bushels. Even in our 

 own State the average product is only about one-half of the 

 English average. It is undoubtedly true that our climate is 

 somewhat less favorable to large yields than is that of the 

 British Islands, as the crop is easily injured by dry weather, 

 to which we arc peculiarly susceptible ; and it may be true 

 that the larger proportion of early varieties here in Massa- 

 chusetts serves to keep our average low. Still, in view of 

 the possible and frequently obtained yields of 300 or more 

 bushels per acre, the low average of less than 100 bushels is 

 evidence of much poor farming among us. 



The number of varieties from which one may choose is 

 very great, but early varieties are generally most profitable 

 with us, and there are but few that are cultivated to any 

 great extent. The Early Eose and Early Beauty of Hebron 

 are still the favorite kinds in Massachusetts. 



Change, of Seed. 

 The potato, cultivated continuously upon almost any of 

 our soils under prevailing conditions, rapidly loses in pro- 

 ductive capacity, as a rule ; and it abundantly pays to change 

 the seed — not necessarily the variety — frequently. I 

 believe it best to change every year. I have not a wide 

 experience with seed of the same variety from different local- 

 ities. It is, however, a general rule in changing seed that 

 the new stock should come from a locality somewhat north 

 of one's own ; and in practice I have found seed from Aroos- 

 took County, Me., very satisfactory. On several occasions 

 under otherwise similar conditions we have raised Beauty 

 of Hebron potatoes from our own seed and from Maine 

 seed, and always with results highly favorable to the latter. 

 In a number of instances our own seed was the product of 

 the first year from Maine stock, and in all cases it has been 

 equal in appearance to the imported seed, and yet the differ- 

 ence in yield has always been far more than enough to cover 



