188 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



the middle of September I ploughed and sowed a bushel and a 

 half of pure seed wheat, selected from the largest heads in the 

 bundles of my previous crops. In October I sowed three 

 bushels of stone lime, which bad been soaked in brine ; and last 

 spring I added eight bushels of oyster-shell lime that had been 

 brine slacked. I reaped, about the 12th of July, thirty-three 

 bushels and three pecks, weight measure. 



$55 50 



Net gain, 



20 00 



$35 50 



Sunderland, Mass. 



Statement of N. 6^ B. Smith. 



The quantity of land on which our crop of wheat was raised 

 was one acre and seven rods, in Sunderland. In 1851 manure 

 was spread upon the land, and a crop of Indian corn taken off; 

 grass seed was sowed at the third hoeing. In June, 1852, a 

 crop of clover and herds-grass was cut, yielding about one and 

 a half tons. We harrowed with a seed harrow, ploughed deep, 

 and rolled before sowing wheat. The quantity of seed used 

 was a bushel and twenty-two quarts. We sown and harrowed 

 September 3d, 1852, and harvested July 12th and 13th, 1853. 

 In the spring we applied five bushels of oyster-shell lime, slacked 

 in the brine from a bushel of salt ; also five bushels of ashes. 

 This dressing appeared to increase the crop, and to strengthen 

 the straw, so much that a very small part of it lodged. 



