320 



HAMPSHIRE SOCIETY. 



Joseph Adams Sf Sons' Statement. 



The land on which our wheat grew, is in Hadley, and con- 

 tains one acre. ' The soil is new and a sandy loam. The 

 wood was cut off in the winter of 1851, and consisted of hard 

 and soft pine, with an undergrowth of maple. In June, 1852, 

 the land was burned over and ploughed once, with a digger, 

 which I prefer to the common plough. My reasons are three, 

 viz.: The digger can be tended more easily by one man, and a 

 single pair of oxen is a sufficient team. The digger will pul- 

 verize the soil, among stumps and roots where the plough will 

 not work. And it does not invert the soil, while it allows 

 the ashes to remain near the surface, which is a benefit to 

 the roots of the grain. We applied no manure, but harrowed 

 in August, and again ploughed September 12th. A few days 

 elapsed, and we sowed at the rate of one bushel and a half to 

 the acre. Our seed was Canada Flint Wheat that had been, 

 for twelve hours, soaked in brine, and then rolled with lime. 



We harvested our crop on the 20th of July, 1852, and thresh- 

 ed it in August. Our yield was forty bushels, three pecks, and 

 two quarts, measured by the statute rate of sixty pounds to 

 the bushel. In the opinion of the surveyor, the quantity of 

 wheat was less by two bushels, on account of stumps, but of 

 this we make no account. 



VALUE OF CROP. 



40f| Bushels, at $1 25 per bushel, 

 1| Tons straw, at $5 per ton, 



EXPENSES. 



Ploughing and harrowing, 



Clearing, . 



Seed, 



Salt, lime, and sowing, 



Harvesting, 



Threshing, 



Interest on value of land. 



$58 52 



27 75 



Net profit on one acre, 



$30 77 



