72 * MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



improvement made in the implements used in cultivating the 

 land, and in the spirit of emulation manifest in producing the 

 greatest results with the least possible cost of labor and expense. 

 Your committee in examining the crops have not only endeav- 

 ored to ascertain the amount of the crop, but the particular 

 kind and quality of the crop, as also the mode and cost of culti- 

 vation — average rods (when it was practicable to do so,) how 

 harvested and accurately weighed or measured. How much 

 any of these crops may shrink, (especially corn,) is not given 

 your committee to decide. For ourselves, we believe the shrinlc- 

 age is much larger than is generally supposed. The raising of 

 sowed corn for feeding, while green, is of growing importance, 

 and is engaging the attention of the farmers generally. Your 

 committee were called to the examination of two sown crops, 

 and noticed particularly the variety of corn used for this pur- 

 pose, among which was the Sweet Evergreen, which in the 

 opinion of your committee is the best suited to this purpose, 

 and we would recommend the raising of this, over all other 

 kinds of corn, for this purpose. 



'^ H. Gaefield, Chairman. 



BRISTOL. 



Statement of George R. Leonard. 



Barley. — The crop of 1863 was grass. No manure was 

 used. The crop of 1864 was corn. Used 25 loads stable 

 manure, of 80 bushels in a load, 1 barrel poudrette, 104 lbs. 

 superphosphate of lime. The soil is a clayey loam. Ploughed 

 once, April 18th, 9 inches deep. No other preparation. Cost 

 of ploughing, $1. Used 25 loads of manure, spread and ploughed 

 in. Cost of manure, $31. Sowed April 19th, harrowed three 

 times and rolled once ; used about 4 bushels of barley. Cost of 

 seed and planting, $10. No cultivation. Harvested July 10th, 

 cut, dried well, and stored. Cost of harvesting, $15. Amount 

 of other products, 4 tons of straw, $48. 



George R. Leonard. 



Norton, September, 18G5. 



