496 PLYMOUTH SOCIETY. 



I make no charge for harvesting, for I think the fodder will 

 more than pay the labor of harvesting. Tlie ralue of the ma- 

 nure exhausted by the corn crop, each one must judge for him- 

 self ; and also the interest on the worth of land. 



Richard Sampson's Statement. 



The acre of land entered by me for a premium on corn, is a 

 sandy loam. It had been mowed the five years past, and pro- 

 duced from a ton to a ton and half annually, and was dressed 

 with twenty loads of compost manure during the time it was 

 in grass. The land was ploughed the first week in May, seven 

 inches deep, with the Michigan Sod plough, and eight cords of 

 compost manure spread on the surface, and harrowed twice. 

 It was planted on the 19th of May, in rows, one way, running 

 north and south, three and a quarter feet apart ; the hills, in the 

 row, from two to two and a half feet apart, with three seeds in 

 the hill; but in consequence of the protracted dry weather, on 

 something more than one-half of the acre, not more than two- 

 thirds of the seed ever vegetated. 



The seed was planted on the surface, without anything ap- 

 plied to the hill when planted. At the time of weeding, there 

 was a small quantity of ashes applied on a portion of the piece, 

 but could not see any difference between the hills ashed and 

 those that were not. I state above that I planted on the sur- 

 face, and my experience (when manure is not applied in the 

 hill) will justify me in saying that it will do much better than 

 when planted at the bottom of a furrow, on or near the cold 

 subsoil. The corn was hoed on the 12th of June. Twelve 

 days after, it was hoed the second time. July 24th, the surface 

 was stirred lightly with the hoe and cultivator. October 19th, 

 the supervisor weighed two rods, taken from different parts of 

 the field, which yielded 51|^ pounds to ihe rod ; which, at 85 

 pounds to the bushel, is 96|§ bushels. 



Expenses : — Ploughing, $2 50 ; hoeing, $5 ; use of land, $6 ; 

 manure, $15. Total, $28 50. 



I have estimated the value of the corn fodder to be equal to 

 the expense of planting and harvesting. 



