PLYMOUTH SOCIETY. 113 



depredations so much nor so long. The result was as fol- 

 lows : — 



On the half acre subsoiled we had 25-ff bushels of corn, and 

 on the half acre not subsoiled we had 23f-| bushels. 



The corn was sounder and better on the part subsoiled ; less 

 pig corn by one third ; and, I believe, had it not suffered from 

 the depredations named, there would have been six bushels 

 more at least on the lot. 



Pembroke, Oct. 31, 1845. 



Statement of Benjamin Hobart. 



The acre of ground on which I planted the corn was in green 

 sward last year ; ploughed after I took off a crop of grass ; and 

 on the top of the furrow, after spreading on 15 loads of good 

 compost manure, and harrowing it well, I sowed turnips ; the 

 season being dry, I had but about 100 bushels. I ploughed this 

 acre on the 13th of May last, and on one half of it followed the 

 first plough with a good new subsoil plough, and did it well ; 

 then ploughed the whole again with a common plough and 

 harrowed it, and put on 24 loads of good compost manure from 

 the barn-yard ; spread and ploughed it in, furrowed both ways 

 3 feet apart as I supposed, but it proves to be about 3J feet 

 apart, and put 4 kernels of corn to the hill, and at weeding 

 pulled up all but 3 stalks in the hill. The corn was of a very 

 bright yellow kind, resembling the Phinney, but such as I had 

 planted for 20 years past. 



I have taken much pains always to keep my seed pure, se- 

 lecting the same colored ears, and same number of rows on the 

 ear ; at one time I got nearly all into 12 and 16 rows, but the 

 cob was so large it took much longer for it to dry for the crib, 

 and I had some hurt. I then selected the 8 rowed, and one of 

 that kind from hills standing in the field where there were two 

 ears on a stock ; but I could not always get the same rowed 

 and color or number of ears on a stock in this way, but a very 

 great preponderance of the kinds selected. I found the ears 

 became very long on the 8 rowed, and I give it the preference ; 

 it affords a larger kernel, and ripens sooner. 

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