1G4 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



O A T S . 



NORFOLK. 



Statement of A. L. Smith. 



The field of oats entered by me for premium, contains ^one 

 and a half acres. Planted with corn last year, and manured 

 with a shovelful of compost in the hill. Soil, a moist, gravelly 

 loam. Ploughed and sowed the first week in May last, with 

 four and a half bushels of Australian oats. Before harrowing 

 them in I spread ten bushels of leached ashes on about one- 

 fourth of the piece, but did not perceive that the crop of oats 

 was much benefited by it, although I have no doubt the future 

 crops of grass will be. Owing to the press of haying, the oats 

 were not cut until over ripe, and a storm coming on soon after, 

 many of them were scattered in gathering the crop ; as many, 

 I should think, as were sown. The oats are quite heavy, weigh- 

 ing thirty-four pounds per bushel. Crop, seventy-one bushels. 

 Straw weighed two and a half tons. 



EXPENSE OF CROP. 



Ploughing, 



Seed, 4} bushels, at GO cents, .... 

 Sowing, 50 cents, harrowing, $!l.50. 

 Ten bushels of ashes, 80 cents, spreading, 20 cents, 

 Cutting, raking and binding, .... 

 Threshing and cleaning, ..... 

 Interest on land, and taxes, .... 



$28 00 



VALUE OF CROP. 



Seventy-one bushels of oats, at 60 cents, 

 Two and a half tons of straw at $10, 



Net profit, . . ■ . 

 Dover, October 15, 18G0. 



$42 06 

 25 00 



$67 60 

 $39 60 



