31 



64°. 30 average for the five months in 1863 



Respectfully submitted, 



Charles Breck. 

 Milton, Nov. 30, 1863. 



Cheever Newhall, Esq. : 



Sir — Having notified the Secretary of the Society of my in- 

 tention to compete for the County and State premiums, for experi- 

 ments in the application of manure, I have to state that the 

 ground selected for the experiment was an old pasture which 

 probably had not been plowed for fifty years until the fall of 

 18G1, at which time it was plowed between seven and eight inches 

 deep, after spreading upon it at the rate of about three cords of 

 cow manure to the acre. The soil was a dark loam, rather moist, 

 but not Avhat would be called retentive of manure, as the subsoil 

 was a gravelly loam. In the spring of 1862 about three cords 

 more of horse manure were spread to the acre, and the piece cross- 

 plowed between seven and eight Inches deep, and the whole 

 planted with potatoes, which rotted badly and gave a poor crop. 



In the spring of 1863 I commenced the experiment by select- 

 ing a piece as nearly equal in quality as could be, and containing 

 twenty-five- rods, divided as follows : — five lots of four rods each, 

 to complj^ with the Society's requirements, and to which I added 

 two more for my own gratification, — one lot of four rods and one 

 of one rod. The five lots were manured, plowed, cultivated and 

 planted strictly according to the requirements of the State Board 

 of Agriculture. The lots were square, of four rods each, the ma- 

 nure used was partly rotted stable manure, 1^ foot to each lot, or 

 at the rate of 6^ cords per acre for the four lots which were to 

 have manure. No. 6 had double the quantity of manure, or at 

 the rate of 12^ cords per acre, half of which was spread before 

 the first plowing, and the other half was put in the hill. There 

 were ten rows running lengthwise through the piece, with sixteen 

 hills in each, making exactly 160 hills in each of the lots. No. 7 

 had the same quantity of manure as the first four lots, that is, at 

 the rate of 6^ cords per acre, which was put in the hill. The 

 whole plot had exactly the same treatment. The first plowing 

 was between seven and eight inches deep, the second between 

 three and four inches, then the cultivator was used. It was 

 planted the 26th of May with improved Canada corn, cultivated 



