34 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



increasing each year until 1893, when 5 cur loads, 60 tons, 

 was used for grass alone. 



Our experience in raising ensilage corn on 9 acres of 

 ground is well worthy of note. We purchased a liberal 

 dressing of stable manure for it, giving $350 for the same ; 

 paid for drawing and spreading, $175; total, $525. Used 

 300 pounds of fertilizer in the drill ; the result was a good 

 crop of ensilage corn. The next spring sowed this piece to 

 oats and seeded to timothy. Harvested 35 bushels of oats 

 per acre. The straw was good. The following year we cut 

 a good crop of daisies, with a little timothy mixed in. We 

 top-dressed a part of this with commercial fertilizer ; that is 

 now all right ; the balance has been ploughed and re-seeded 

 the past season. Now, what was the matter? Something 

 was wrong. It did not certainly give satisfaction for the 

 cost of labor and material used. Brother farmers, it was 

 merely the result of the coml)ination of manures. We re- 

 ceived too little from the stable manures and expected too 

 much from the fertilizer. 



Our next trial was with 8 acres of ensilage corn. Paid 

 for stable manure, $275 ; drawing and spreading, $195 ; 

 used in drill 700 pounds of fertilizer. The corn was extra 

 good, many stalks measuring 17 feet high. The next spring 

 sowed to oats and seeded to timothy. Harvested 44| bush- 

 els of oats per acre. The straw was good. The following 

 year there was cut as large and fine a crop of timothy as we 

 would wish to see or possess. 



These two tests demonstrated to me the fiict that to pro- 

 duce crops at hand, and to follow, by the use of this com- 

 bination of manures, one must apply enough commercial 

 fertilizer to start, force and mature the first crop, if we 

 expect to receive satisfactory financial results from the cost 

 of labor and material employed. 



Our test on rye with commercial fertilizer was equally 

 as interesting, extending over a period of three years, on 

 ground a part of which was in good condition ; the balance 

 was in a very poor state of cultivation. Our records show 

 the followino; : — 



