47 



I think the plough leaves the soil lighter and in better condition. 

 Hoe three times. Hill up a little, and, if any weeds appear after 

 the last hoeing, pull them up before they go to seed ; for I 

 believe that, " the best way of weeding is to stop weeds from 

 seeding." Jor many years, a line drawn around the field was 

 a sufficient protection from the depredations of ci'ows. But this, 

 for a few j^ears past, has been of no use. 



In this connection, it may not be amiss to state, that, about 

 twelve years ago, I planted a field of two acres adjoining a wood 

 lot, about half a mile from my house, and lined it immediately. 

 Not a hill was disturbed until the corn was large enough to be 

 hoed. I then took up the line and ploughed the field, one way. 

 On going to it, the next morning, I found that three hundred hills 

 had been pulled up. 



I use a revolving horse rake, and think it worth as much as the 

 common labor of a man, in haying time. 



I cultivate the soil between young trees, and plough or dig 

 around old ones and mulch them. Yours respectfully, 



Elijah Tucker. 



It will be perceived that the foregoing communications are in 

 reply to the series of questions issued by the Committee. To 

 these, Ave have the pleasure to subjoin others, from gentlemen of 

 whom a statement of particular crops, and the manner of culti- 

 vating them, were solicited. 



MR. B. F. Dudley's letter. 



3Illton, Nov. 30, 1858. 



Dear Sir, — In accordance with your request, I have the plea- 

 sure of sending the following statement of some of the crops raised 

 on my farm in 1857 and 1858. 



These minutes were not kept for the purpose of making any 

 public statement, but merely to satisfy myself as to what the land 

 was capable of producing ; nor would they now be made public 

 except at your particular request. 



The land upon which these crops were raised, was not consid- 

 ered worth much for cultivation until within seven or eiglit years. 

 Since then, it has yielded good crops of grain and grass. 



In ploughing, I use the Michigan plough and turn up the soil 

 from a good depth. In marking out furrows the plough is run 

 twice in the same line, and the furrows are made so deep that, 

 after putting into each hill a large shovelful of manure, the corn 

 can be covered without raising it above the general level of the 

 field. 



In both crops of corn, the hills were two feet apart, oneway, 



