SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



91 



Corn is usually measured and sold in New England by the 

 bushel of fifty-six pounds, though at the south it is most com- 

 monly spoken of and sold in barrels of five bushels. 



The imperial bushel now used in the United States, contains 

 80 pounds of water, or 2,218.192 cubic inches of capacity. 

 The old Winchester bushel formerly used in England and this 

 country, was of 2,150.42 cubic inches capacity. A bushel of In- 

 dian corn in Massachusetts weighs 56 pounds statute weight. The 

 legal weight of a bushel in England is 60 pounds. In Vermont, 

 New York and Delaware, the legal weight is 56 pounds. The 

 weight of corn and other grains is regulated by the laws of the 

 several States. The imperial measurement is adopted by the 

 United States, and applies to the whole country, and standard 

 or uniform weights and measures furnished by the government 

 to all the States. 



It may be proper in this connection to state the results of 

 some experiments in the raising of corn at the State Farm, at 

 Westborough. In the year 1856 there were planted tliere over 

 thirty-five acres, beside a considerable amount of sweet and 

 fodder corn. 



The yield was 2,910 bushels of ears, estimated at 1,470 

 bushels of shelled corn, an average of 42 bushels per acre. 



Experiments in Manuring Corn Lands — Fertilizers all spread 

 and ploughed in. 



