17 



under about 8 inches deep, sowed 700 lbs. Stockbridge broadcast, thor- 

 oughly pulverized the soil, then planted the potatoes with the Aspinwall 

 potato planter which distributed 300 lbs. more fertilizer in the drill. On 

 the 9th of June my potatoes were under the river overflow. The com- 

 mittee's square rods averaged 162 lbs. equal to 432 bush, per acre or 

 216 bush, per half acre, of which 200 bushels were large and 16 small. 



Dr. 

 To 1000 lbs. fertilizer, $20 00 



6 bush, seed, 6 00 



Plowing, 1 00 



Pulverizing and sowing fertilizer, 2 00 



Cultivating and planting, 2 00 



Cutting seed and Paris greening, 4 00 



Digging, sacking and selling, 10 00 



To the Secretary of the Hampshire Agricultural Society : 



The half acre of potatoes offered for premium was grown on sandy 

 loam, which had barely paid for haying for several preceding years. I 

 plowed it Aug. 22, 1896, and sowed two bushels of rye to the acre. 

 This made a fair growth, and I plowed it in April 29. 1897, eight inches 

 deep, harrowed thoroughly with the Acme Harrow, and furrowed six 

 inches deep, rows 38 inches apart. May 5th to 15th I sowed 500 lbs. 

 Bradleys Complete Potato Manure along the rows, dropped whole pota- 

 toes, 2 to 4 oz., 2 feet apart, and covered with hand hoe two inches 

 deep. Having a big pile of corn stalks, 1 put these about 3 inches thick 

 in the furrows, over the covered potatoes, on about half the piece, and 

 covered them with hand hoes. This 1 did as a protection from probable 

 drought, and not with any expectation that the potatoes would eat the 

 cornstalks. A few days later I harrowed the piece with the Acme 

 Harrow, and again when the potatoes were just breaking the ground. 



