STATEMENT ON CORN. 



BY JOHN C. DILLON. 



Committee on crops, Gentlemen : — 



The acre of corn which I have entered for premium, is one of five 

 lately purchased by Mr. William Westcott, and ma}' be described as 

 a stony loam, resting on a gravelly subsoil. The land has been in 

 the hands of the Smith Charities by foreclosure of mortgage, and 

 has been let on shares for several years, without, as far as I can 

 learn, much profit to the lessors or the cultivators. Last year the 

 land lay fallow, and at Mr. Westcott's suggestion I undertook the 

 cultivation of it this season. 



The terms of the arrangement were as follows : — Mr. AYestcott 

 was to furnish two tons of Stockbridge Corn Manure at $45 per ton, 

 and I was to provide seed, plough, plant, cultivate, cut and stook 

 the crop for $G0, or $12 per acre ; and we were to divide the crop in 

 the stook on this basis. I was also to have the privilege of taking 

 the whole crop, if I chose, by paying Mr. \Yestcott $10U, the regular 

 market price of the fertilizer. 



The corn was planted the 4th of June, and up to August 1st was 

 regarded as very promising. During the cold dry weather in August 

 it grew and matured very slowly, and the severe frosts of the nights 

 of September 2d and 9th destroyed all hope of a profitable crop. 



Nevertheless, having entered the crop for premium, and kept a 

 particular account of its cost, 1 have thought best to forward the 

 details of the experiment. It is claimed that failures are often as 

 instructive as successes ; and to offer an acknowledged failure for 

 premium will, at least, have the merit of novelty. 



