' ON THE CULTIVATION OF CROPS. 67 



ing considered. But, I believe you, gentlemen of the 

 Committee, are to give your premium for " the best ex- 

 periment.'' The chief value of my trial, as an experi- 

 ment, if it has any value of that kind, may consist in the 

 light it gives in answer to a question like the following : 

 Can other substances, which have been little used or 

 valued as manures, be, without loss, made to supply the 

 place, in a great measure, of stable manure, in the culti- 

 vation of Indian corn ? I say, without loss, for I think it 

 a public benefit to discover other manures than those 

 commonly in use, that shall answer equally well as the 

 old ones. If one can do this, he shows how the quanti- 

 ty of manures in a given district may be increased — 

 how the soil of that district may be made to increase its 

 productions. 



The expense of manuring, allowing $1 per day for a 

 man's labor, and the same for a yoke of oxen and cart, I 

 estimate as follows : 



21 loads of compost from barn cellar, at $1,50, $'31 50 

 40 loads of soil, clay, and meadow mud, (these 

 were all taken from v/ithin, and immediately 

 around the field, and cost but little more than 

 the carting), ----- 

 12 bushels of bone, - - - - 



1 box sugar sediment, perhaps - 

 3 loads of salt ley, at |5,00, (2 for the ley, 



and 3 for carting five miles), - 



2 loads more of soil and mud, at 25, - 

 1 load dung, good, - - . 



110 lbs. soapboilers' scraps, at 1^ ct. 

 7 bushels bone, . - - - 



1 cask lime, 



2 bushels salt, (fisherman's refuse) - 

 no lbs. fish, 



i bushel plaster, - - - - 



2 loads compost from barn-yard. 

 Mixing and forking over twice, - 

 Putting out and spreading 64 loads, 



Whole for two acres, |84 85 

 Or for one acre, 



