182 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



aluiniuous and retentive the soil that we spread on, the better 

 it is. For about eight years past we have planted from one to 

 two acres of potatoes ; average crop 100 bushels to the acre, 

 without manure, of superior quality, and always free from rot. 

 In dry seasons we have succeeded well with corn, having got 80 

 bushels to the acre. In wet seasons it has failed. Turnips 

 succeed well, but grass is the surest crop, producing good crops 

 of fair quality, in all seasons. A few of the first years we could 

 not use any team, only a horse, by strapping rackets or pieces 

 of board about ten inches square, on tlie bottom of his feet. In 

 this way we succeeded well, but foiuid it tiresome for a horse. 

 Now we can work on it with a light cattle team without diffi- 

 culty. This year we have got 30 tons of hay and 100 bushels 

 potatoes, without manure. Estimate of produce since com- 

 mencement: Potatoes, 1,000 bushels; turnips, 500 bushels; 

 corn, 200 bushels ; wheat, 75 bushels; oats, ten bushels ; hay, 75 

 tons. The most of it produced within the last three or four years. 



"We have got to dig the outlet deeper and make more drains, 

 and we have got about one-half as mucli more to clear off, which 

 we intend to accomplish, and sometime may give the result of it. 



The piece of land we offer for premium lies across nearly the 

 centre of this swamp, and contains 8^ acres, being 8 rods wide 

 and 65 long. In the fall of 1851 we cut a ditch entirely around 

 it, 3| feet deep, cut and burned the bogs and brush, and the 

 fof lowing winter sledded on to it 200 loads of dirt and 25 of 

 manure. In the spring of 1852, sowed on grass seed. We 

 have used no manure since, except about 110 worth of super- 

 phosphate, which we think has produced twice its value at least 

 in hay, though the experiments were not accurate enough to 

 detail. We have mowed it every year since, and present the 

 following account : — 



Expenses for 1851 : — 

 Cutting ditch one-half round the piece, 73 rods. 

 Cutting and burning bogs and brush. 

 Drawing dirt, ........ 



Grass seed, ........ 



Manure, ......... 



Super-phosphate, 



$132 00 



