81 



basket into a cart. After as many rows are topped as we 

 want leaves for a day or two, then the roots are gathered 5 

 that clears the ground, so that the cart can get near for more 

 leaves. As the tops must be taken from the roots, it is but 

 little labor to get them to the barn, and into the farmer's 

 chemical laboratory — the cow's stomach, — and extract the 

 milk from them, thereby changing the refuse at once into 

 good plant food. 



Comjiiitlee — Ansel W. Putnam, Chairman ; Henry W. Fos- 

 ter, Willis P. Sargent, Andrew Mansfield, A. P. Fuller. 



STATEMENTS OF J. D. W. FRENCH. 

 POTATOES. 



The following is the account of my Potato crop, entered 

 for premium : — 



The land used for this crop, previous to 1875, had never 

 been in cultivation, but was a piece of low meadow land, 

 covered with wild grasses and bushes. In the summer of 

 1875 the whole meadow was drained with tile drain running 

 into an open ditch, stoned at the sides, which extended the en- 

 tire length of the meadow. 



In the fall of that year the land was ploughed for the first 

 time. In 1876 the crop was corn. Stable manure was used 

 at the rate of six cords to the acre. The soil is of a peaty 

 nature, mixed with sand. The land was not ploughed in 

 1876, but horse hoed. In the spring of 1877 it was cross 

 ploughed, that is, ploughed in the opposite direction from 

 the ploughing of 1875. The depth of furrow was eight 

 inches. The planting took place May 4th. The drills were 

 furrowed out three and one-half feet apart, and planted with 

 small potatoes fifteen inches apart in the.drills. The quantity 

 X)f land entered is one-half acre. Finished digging and hous- 

 ing potatoes August 24th. 



