152 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



INDIAN CORN. 



ESSEX. 



Statement of Charles Holt. 



I offer for premium one acre of Indian corn — part of a field 

 containing three and a half acres — on the town farm in Haver- 

 hill. The land is interval, of good quality, has been in grass 

 ten or twelve years, and in 1853 yielded from three-quarters 

 to one ton of hay. It was ploughed last fall ten inches deep, 

 and in the spring seven and one-half cords of barn and hog 

 manure were well mixed with the soil, by drawing a large cul- 

 tivator across the furrows, without disturbing the sod. It was 

 planted, the 20th of May, three feet ten inches apart each way, 

 four or five kernels to a hill, of large eight-rowed corn. The 

 field was hoed three times, and a cultivator run through it 

 twice each way. Early in August the suckers were cut out to 

 feed cows ; and it was harvested in the usual manner on the 3d 

 of October, yielding one hundred and fifty-seven baskets of 

 sound corn. But the appearance of the ears indicated that 

 the crop was somewhat injured by the drought. On the 6th of 

 November, two baskets were found to contain sixty-eight pounds 

 of shelled corn. 



Haverhill, November 6, 1854. 



WORCESTER NORTH. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



In looking over-the several fields entered for premiums, and 

 comparing the weight of each, the committee are satisfied that 

 many of the farmers do not plant their corn near enough to- 

 gether, while others plant too near. Had Mr. Joel Ilayward, 

 instead of planting twenty-one hills to the rod, planted thirty, 

 he would have taken a premium this year; and had Mr. Benja- 

 min Wyman, instead of planting thirty-eight hills to the rod, 

 planted thirty, he would have had as much as he now has, with 

 less expense in cultivation. 



