81 

 RYE CROP. 



STATEMENT OF MR. WM. LITTLE OF NEWBURY. 



I offer for premium, a crop of Rye, grown upon one acre 

 and thirty-two rods of ground, lying in Newbury, on the 

 westerly side of Merrimac Ridge, so called. The soil of 

 about a quarter part is light, loamy and warm ; the remain- 

 ing three-fourths is a heavy, dark loam, resting on clay, 

 and so wet in spring that in common years it is unfit to 

 plough before the 20th of May. 



The rye was sown Oct. 5th or 6th, 1883, and harrowed 

 in, no manure being applied ; using nearly one and one-half 

 bushels of seed — a rather larger quantity than common. As 

 it was late and the soil cold and heavy, it was thought that 

 some of it might be winter-icilled. It was cut July 23d, 

 and two days after bound up and stocked , all but twenty 

 or thirty rods that was lodged so badly that it could not be 

 bound. It stood in field two or three weeks, when it was 

 hauled into the barn, and threshed a month later, part by 

 hand and part by horse power ; and, after winnowing, was 

 measured, and the quantity found to be fifty-nine and three- 

 fourths of clean grain, besides from a peck to a half bushel 

 of unclean grain. In addition to this was the grain in 

 twelve bundles used unthreshed in decorating the Rink, at 

 the late exhibition. The straw was extraordinarily heavy, 

 weighing 5510 pounds, besides the above twelve bundles, 

 and perhaps 100 pounds more of broken and chaffy straw 

 that was not weighed. 



An especial reason for offering this crop for your con- 

 sideration is found in its suggesting a different plan of 

 managing such land, of which there is a great deal in this 

 country. This ground was broken up in the spring of 1882, 

 and though late, planted with corn. Partly in consequence 

 of extreme drought, but a small crop was obtained. The 

 next spring was dry, and the land was heavily manured and 

 planted with potatoes the middle of May. This was a 

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