90 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of shelled corn, and yet if we take 85 pounds of ears from differ- 

 ent fields, of different varieties of corn, and different degrees of 

 ripeness consequent upon the varieties of soil, the modes of cul- 

 ture, the kinds and application of manure, several days or weeks 

 before the whole field is in a suitable state of ripeness to put away 

 in the cribs, 85 pounds of ears would not be sufficient to allow 

 for a bushel ; and I know not what number of pounds could be 

 adopted as a uniform standard ; and to make an allowance in 

 weight where corn is dry, — and very dry, — damp, and very 

 green, — would be as uncertain a method of computation as 

 resorting to guess work. 



" Let us take the weight of George W. Wood's acre at the 

 time of harvest, 0,998.75 pounds, and divide it by 85 pounds, 

 and we have 82.33 as the number of bushels of 56 pounds each 

 on the acre ; which differs but a small fraction from the amount 

 actually weighed and measured. Now suppose we estimate 

 the specimen rods, to learn how many pounds of ears were 

 needed for a bushel of shelled corn, and we have the following 

 answer : — 78:128. 5::56:92. 9 ; thus — if 78 pounds of shelled corn 

 required 128.5 pounds of cars, 56 pounds of shelled corn Avill 

 require 92.9 pounds, or nearly eight pounds more than the 

 standard, 85. 



" Now if we had, in this case, estimated the whole acre from 

 the specimen rods, and reckoned 85 pounds of ears for a bushel, 

 we should have called the product 120 bushels ; whereas it was 

 only about 82, a little more than two-thirds of what we sliould 

 erroneously have supposed. How many such estimates have 

 been made in years past, it is not easy to determine. 



" So of Mr. Perkins' corn. Divide the whole weight at the 

 time of harvest, 8,518 pounds by 85, and we have a quotient of 

 100, and 18 remainder, coming within two bushels of the actual 

 measurement. But had we estimated the whole field from the 

 specimen rods, when taken, we should have reckoned nine 

 bushels too much. And yet this corn would from the specimen 

 rods, have required 86 pounds of ears for a bushel of shelled 

 corn. For 77:118. 25::56.86." 



Two bushels of ears will almost invariably make one of shelled 

 corn, and some varieties have been known to give a bushel of 

 shelled corn to a bushel and a half of ears. 



