76 



by me, was grown on land that had been in grass for several 

 years; no manure had been applied while in grass. The 

 soil is a dry, strong loam. Last Spring, twenty loads, of 

 thirty bushels each per acre, of cow manure, were spread 

 upon the sod and plowed under, to the depth of six inches. 

 The land was then harrowed and afterward furrowed, 

 making the rows three and a half feet apart. Four hun- 

 dred pounds of Cumberland phosphate, per acre, were scat- 

 tered in the furrows and covered by using a hoe. Seed at 

 the rate of three-fourths of a pound per acre,, was then 

 sown by machine. The seed was sown May 15th. By 

 sowing with machine, the cultivator can be used nearer to 

 the rows when the plants are small, than it can where the 

 seed is scattered in hills. The piece was hoed by hand four 

 times, but as the horse hoe was used often, the work of 

 hoeing after the first time was slight. The plants were 

 thinned so as to stand about a foot and a half apart in the 

 rows, a greater distance would probably give as many 

 pounds of cabbage, but in this vicinity, large cabbages do 

 not sell as well as those of medium size. Almost every 

 cabbage formed a solid head, 100 cabbages, taken just as 

 they came, by cutting a drive-way across the rows, weighed 

 615 pounds. Upon the half acre there are 4,750 cabbages. 

 The cost of the crop is as follows : 



Plowing and preparing land. 

 Seed and Sowing, 

 Cultivating and Hoeing, 

 200 pounds Phosphate, 

 Value of Manure when spread, 

 Interest on land, 



157 50 

 Cost of gathering crop balanced by value of fodder. 



STATEMENT OF S. F. NEWMAN. 



To the Committee on Root Crops, of the Essex Agricul- 

 tural Society^ 1884. 



