136 THE COMPLETE FAEMER 



corn per acre. Potatoes are very good in quality, but the 

 quantity is quite small ; not sufficient to be profitable, were 

 it not that the land is very easily cultivated. 



In the sumnner of 1827, we sowed three bushels of winter 

 rye near the river, on about two acres of land, which pro- 

 duced twenty-eight bushels. 



In 1828, we sowed four bushels on four acres of land run- 

 ning the whole extent of the plain from the river. This 

 piece was sowed in the spring with oats ; but they were com- 

 pletely smothered with charlick, and about the middle of 

 June, the w^hole crop was mowed to prevent the charlick 

 seeding. By about the middle of August, a second crop of 

 charlick having covered the land, it was ploughed very care- 

 fully, in order completely to bury the charlick ; and then 

 suflered to remain until the l'5th of September, when we be- 

 gan sowing the rye in the following manner. A strip of 

 land about twelve yards wade was ploughed very evenly, to 

 prevent deep gutters between the furrows, and the seed im- 

 mediately sown upon the furrow and harrowed in ; then 

 another strip of the same wddth, and so on, until the whole 

 was finished. We found the oat stubble and charlick en~ 

 tirely rotted, and the land appeared as if it had been well 

 manured, though none had been applied to this part since it 

 had been in our possession. The rye sprung very quick and 

 vigorously, having evidently derived great benefit from being 

 sown and sprouted before the moisture supplied by the de- 

 caying vegetable matter in the soil had evaporated to any 

 considerable extent. This crop produced one hundred and 

 thirty-three bushels. 



In 1829, the charlick was suffered to grow on the land 

 appropriated to rye, until it had attained its growth and was 

 in full blossom. The land was then ploughed very carefully, 

 and the charlick completely covered in. In a short time a 

 second crop appeared, more vigorous than the first. This 

 also was allowed to attain its growth, and then ploughed in 

 as before. A third crop soon appeared, which of course was 

 destroyed, Avhen the land was again ploughed for sowing 

 about the middle of September. This piece of land was a 

 parallel strip running from the river, and containing two 

 acres. Two bushels of rye were sowed. The crop present- 

 ed a remarkably promising appearance, and yielded seventy- 

 four and a half bushels. 



In 1830, the land appropriated to rye included nearly all 

 the lighter part of the soil, and owing to a pressure of busi- 



