HAMPSHIRE SOCIETY. , 337 



spot can easily be selected now, by its fresh, green appearance 

 compared with that by the side of it. 



I will merely say, that the lime cost seven cents per bushel 

 in New Haven, and the freight was about five cents per 

 bushel — making about twelve and a half cents, in North- 

 ampton. 



Hadley, Sept. 30, 1S52. 



Royal W. Smithes Statement. 



During nine or ten years past, I have composted manure, 

 and find it equal in value to yard manure, and better for corn. 

 I usually make fifty loads. I draw out twenty-five loads of 

 muck to the field, where I propose to raise my corn crop. 

 This is done in the fall. I draw, about the 1st of April, twenty- 

 five loads of yard manure, to the muck heap. I add fifty 

 bushels of lime and five hundred pounds of plaster. I mix 

 these ingredients as soon as the frost is out of the ground in 

 the spring, to make the compost. As soon as the heap begins 

 to warm, I pitch it over, to prevent burning, and the compost 

 will be ready for use, by the time it is wanted for planting. 

 The manure will be well rotted and fermented. I have never 

 failed of a good corn crop, with this compost. 



Hadley, Oct. 25, 1852. 



It will be perceived by Mr. Dickinson's statement, that he 

 put ten loads of manure on each of his eight acres. This, he 

 informed us, was composted of five loads of yard manure and 

 five of swamp muck. The two rows, here and there, on which 

 this manure only was put, produced, in the opinion of your 

 committee, at the rate of not over 18, or at most, 20 bushels 

 of corn to the acre ; while we judged that the corn which was 

 treated to the handful of lime, plaster and salt, would give from 

 50 to 60 bushels. Our opinion on the latter, it since appears, 

 was not too high, as Mr. Dickinson assures us he has husked 

 the corn on precisely one acre, and it yields 126.V bushels of 

 ears, which would give quite up to our highest estimate of 

 shelled corn. 



With regard to Mr. Smith's statement, your committee 

 would suggest, that the lime used was not pure lime. It was 

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