192 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



The profit realized during the five years will depend of 

 course upon the market value of the hay. This will be — 



At $12 per ton, 



15 " . . . 



18 " . . . 



20 " . . . 



being |7. 66, $13.66, $19.66 or $23.66 per annum, accord- 

 ing as the respective prices above-mentioned are realized. 

 While these figures will doubtless vary in difierent localities, 

 they have sufiicient general accuracy to show that Avell-con- 

 ducted grass-farming may be made a fair-paying business, 

 particularly in favored localities. 



Should these figures seem satisfactory, it may be well to 

 look a little further, as to the amount of labor requisite for 

 the maintenance of a fair-sized hay farm. I will probably 

 be safe in saying that an intelligent, able-bodied man with a 

 good team will break up a tract of twenty acres of Con- 

 necticut River meadow in thirty working days ; that he will 

 harrow this twice preparatory for manuring in four working 

 days ; that, provided he does not have to draw it more than 

 a mile and a half, he will put upon it one hundred cords of 

 manure in fifty working days ; that, with a manure-spreader, 

 he will spread this in twenty working days ; that he will 

 plough it into the seed-bed in ten working days ; that he 

 will harrow the ground twice, after manuring, in four work- 

 ing days ; that he will sow and roll in the seed in four work- 

 ing days ; in all, one hundred and twenty-two working days. 

 From April 15 to November 15, exclusive of July, left for 

 haying, there are one hundred and thirty-two working days. 



If this calculation is correct, one man and team can break 

 up, manure and reseed twenty acres of grass ground each 

 year during the working season, exclusive of the month of 

 July, and have ten days to spare for rainy weather and other 

 contingencies. The other five months, which complete his 

 year, remain for other business. How other considerations 

 may modify the desirableness of this system of farming each 

 individual must judge for himself. That hay-raising as a 

 specialty may, under favorable circumstances, be made 

 practicable and fairly remunerative, there can be little doubt. 

 It requires less hand labor per acre than any other of our 



