r& 



land then commonly remains in grass for two or three years, and the" 

 same process is repeated. There are cases in which the same crop 

 is pursued on the same land, two or three years in succession, and 

 without diminution of the crop. These are cases of extraordinary 

 fertility or abundant manuring ; but it is not a practice greatly preva' 

 lent ; nor to be generally commended. 



3. Expenses and profits of crops. — I have been anxious 

 to obtain true returns of the actual expenses and profits of crops in a 

 regular rotation ; and 1 shall subjoin minutes of these expenses, 

 furnished by experienced and judicious farmers in different parts of 

 the county. 



In the estimates which have been made of the expenses of culti- 

 vating any crops, it will be understood, that a man's labor has always 

 been estimated at one dollar per day ; and the same for a yoke of 

 oxen, and half a dollar for a horse. In many parts of the country 

 this, undoubtedly, is an over-estimate of the price of labor ; but it 

 seemed necessary to fix some price as a uniform standard through- 

 out the state ; and in the cost of labor involved in the production of 

 any crop, one dollar is to be considered as the representative of a 

 day's work. The prices of labor and the prices of board vary in dif- 

 ferent parts of the state. The estimated price includes both labor 

 and board. 



Expenses of cullivating an acre of corn in Sheffield, Mass. 



Ploughing, . . . . . . $1 50 



Manuring, 15 loads, at 50 cents, half the manure to be 



charged to the corn, . . , . . 3 75 



Getting out manure, $2 ; planting, $1 25 ; seed, 25, . 3 50 



Hoeing twice, $2 ; gathering and husking, $2, . 4 00 



Interest on land, at $50 per acre, . . . 3 00 



Product. 



Corn-stalks for fodder, equal to 3 ton of hay, $5 00 



Forty-five bushels of corn, at 75 cts, 33 75 



$15 75 



^38 75 



Profit on the corn, . , . $23 00 



