NORFOLK SOCIETY. 437 



ciety reports a crop yielding 37|- bushels per acre. Hampden 

 Society reports six crops, which yielded, respectively, 29} i, 

 30.^, Sl^^g, 3311, 37,1^ and 38 bushels per acre ; affording, res- 

 pectively, a net profit of $17 50, $31 52, $23 83, $27 42, $45 

 87^ and $30 30 per acre. Franklin Society reports two crops, 

 yielding, respectively, 35 and 29l| bushels per acre. The first 

 of these afforded a net profit of $46 55 per acre. The value of 

 the other is not stated. Berkshire Society reports seven crops, 

 for which premiums were given, and one of them is stated to 

 have yielded 28| bushels per acre. Housatonic Society reports 

 tiventij-frve crops entered for premium, nearly all of which were 

 good, giving promise of abundant returns for the labor be- 

 stowed. Plymouth Society reports one crop, yielding 24|- 

 bushels per acre. These facts have been gleaned from the last 

 abstract of the reports of the several agricultural societies in 

 the Commonwealth. Other and more minute statements may 

 be found, probably, in the reports themselves. 



It needs only that the attention of our farmers should be 

 drawn to such facts, that a careful selection and thorough pre- 

 paration of the soil for a crop of wheat be made, and the ordi- 

 nary precautions of a judicious method of cultivation be adopt- 

 ed. We may then find this great staple article of consump- 

 tion produced on our own soil, to an amount which shall make 

 us much less dependent on other States than we now are, and 

 at the same time add largely to the encouragement and com- 

 fort of the cultivators of that soil. 



It may be of service to add here some facts and suggestions 

 contained in the report on European Agriculture, by the late 

 Mr. Coleman, whose attention was largely devoted to this 

 subject. 



Mr. Coleman says that " the average yield of wheat in Great 

 Britain, was stated by men of political standing, and claiming 

 to be well informed on the subject, at not more than 15 bushels 

 per acre. An eminent agricultural writer placed it at 18 bushels 

 some years since ; men of sanguine temperament rate it at over 

 30 bushels. This seems to me much too low. Under sood 

 cultivation, I have scarcely ever found it less than 32 bushels." 

 In another connection, he says, " I suppose there is no country 

 where the average yield of wheat is so large as in England ; 

 and this product has nearly doubled within the last thirty or 



