SECRETARY'S REPORT. 71 



spreading the manure. One practical and observing farmer of 

 Berkshire says, " The crops on lands where the manure was 

 ploughed in were much better than where it was put in the hill. 

 On a field containing twelve acres, I spread over twenty ox cart 

 loads of green barn-yard manure, and ploughed it under, cover- 

 ing the manure about five inches deep. On half of the field I 

 used rotted yard manure in the hill, and on the other half ashes 

 and plaster in the hill ; and I judge the yield per acre, in favor 

 of the ashes, is full one-third greater than where the manure 

 was put in the hill. The same is true of other fields which I 

 have noticed." 



The same view was taken by a writer in Barnstable County, 

 who says, "It is the general practice with us, when manure is 

 used for the corn crop, to plough it in. One of our farmers, on 

 a field of heavy land, ploughed in the manure on one-half of the 

 field, and manured in the hill the remainder. We saw a dif- 

 ference in yield. Our conviction is decidedly averse to placing 

 manure in the hill on dry soils; and, during the present season, 

 manure on such soils has proved an injury." 



The testimony on this subject is uniformly in favor of spread- 

 ing and ploughing in the manure. I give a few more extracts. 

 The first is from the statement of a farmer of Hampshire 

 County : " On lands where the manure was ploughed in, not 

 only on my own farm, but also on those within my knowledge, 

 crops have been decidedly the best. On one field of corn I 

 suffered much, in consequence of putting manure in the hill. 

 One of my neighbors has for years ploughed his manure under, 

 although reluctant to believe it best. I have finally come to 

 the conclusion that to plough in manure is always preferable 

 for a corn crop." 



Another, in Plymouth County, writes as follows : " In year3 

 past, I was in the habit of putting my manure in the hill ; but 

 for two or three years past I have ploughed the most of it in, 

 and put a small quantity of line manure in the hill. I am 

 Bensible that I get better crops, and the land is less exhausted, 

 and in a better state to produce a subsequent crop of grain or 

 grass." 



The practice of spreading a part of the manure, and putting 

 a part in the hill, has proved successful in many cases ; but 



