19 



only took about half as much time as to cultivate and iioe the level lot. 

 The first hoeing had to be done by hand in order to thin and weed the 

 corn properly. 



The question to be determined by this experiment is, whether we 

 can profitabl}' use a horse hoe in cultivation of corn? In the case 

 above described, the soil was light and comparatively' free from weeds, 

 and the work could be done with a horse hoe if we would allow our 

 land to be hilled up. While the above experiment does not show a 

 very great difference in the result, what there is favors level culture. 



This report does not require an accou.it of the yield per acre, but 

 I will give the result as computed from the above weights, showing 

 that the experiment had a fair trial on a good crop. 



Tlie yield on the level acre, reckoning eighty pounds of partly 

 dr}- ears for a bushel of drj- shelled corn, vvas forty-six and six-tenths 

 bushels ; while that on the hilled acre was fort3'-four and a half 

 bushels. 



Respectfully submitted. 

 North Amherst, Oct. 24, 1881: JAMES COM INS. 



Statement of an Experiment to Ascertain the Difference between 

 Level and Hill Culture for Corn, by West Brothers. 



Committee on Crops, Gentlemen : — 



The half acre on which we tried this experiment was 

 divided into eight plots for convenience, each plot was eight rows and 

 alternate plots were hilled, tlie accompanj-ing table will show the num- 

 ber of hills aiid yield. 



Plots 1 and 2 were on land that bore rye in 1879 and grass in 

 1880. Numbers 3 — 8 were pasture for twenty 3'ears. 



Plots 1 and 2 were planted in eight rows of the same number of 

 hills to the row. Rows 1-2-7-8 level culture, 3-4-5-6 hilled. Yield on 

 rows 1 and 2, 142 pounds; on 7 and 8, 138 pounds; on 3 and 4, 115 

 pounds ; on 5 and 6, 143 pounds. There was a difference of four lbs. 

 between 1 and 2, and 7 and 8, both level ; and between 3 and 4, and 

 5 and 6, which were hilled, twenty-eight pounds. 



