112 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Statement of Albert Thomas of Middleborough. 



Oats. — I have raised the present year 41 T 7 g bushels of oats 

 upon 163 rods of land, being at the rate of 40f bushels 

 per acre, nearly. The land, a sandy loam, was planted to 

 corn in 1874, using forty loads of barn-cellar manure, and to 

 potatoes in 1875, using six loads of manure. Last April, it 

 was ploughed twice, eight inches deep, no manure being 

 applied, and three bushels of common oats sowed. The oats 

 were cradled in July. 



Expenses. 



Ploughing and harrowing, $6 50 



Seed and sowing, 4 00 



Harvesting and threshing, 7 50 



Total, $18 00 



There was about one and a half tons of straw. 



Statement of Augustus H. Soule of Middleborough. 



Barley. — The crop of barley which I entered for premium 

 was raised upon one acre of gravelly loam, on grass for nine 

 years, without manure. In 1875, it was planted to corn, 

 manured with thirty loads of barn-cellar manure. In April, 

 1876, I applied ten loads of manure, ploughed six inches 

 deep, and harrowed once before sowing, and once after. May 

 1, sowed two bushels of two-rowed barley. It came up well 

 and grew rapidly — until the dry weather came on. Owing 

 to its long continuance, the crop was ripened sooner than it 

 ought to have been, and the yield was considerably dimin- 

 ished in consequence. It was harvested about July 20, 

 threshed in August, and yielded 26| bushels of grain, and 

 about 1,500 pounds of straw. 



Expenses. 



Ploughing, etc., $4 00 



Manure, 10 00 



Seed and sowing, ... 3 00 



Harvesting and threshing, 5 00 



Total, $22 00 



