110 

 TREAD WELL FARM REPORT. 



The farm is still held by J. Plummer, being the 2d year of his 

 lease. AVhile the Committee are dissatisfied with his manage- 

 ment of the farm and are painfully aware that he has forfeited 

 his lease by non-compliance with its conditions, yet have felt it 

 for the best interest of the society not to take possession at 

 present, hoping that he may yet redeem his obligations. 



The experiment required of him this year was to carefully 

 keep an account of the cost of production of two acres of ensi- 

 lage corn and putting into the silo. The following is his state- 

 ment of production as he did not put it into the silo, he gives 

 the average cost of cutting it for several years, as his crop was 

 small the relative cost per ton is greater than with a larger 

 crop : 



Ploughing two acres, $4.00 



Harrowing, 2.00 



Planting, 2.00 



Applying fertilizer, 2.00 



Cultivating, 2.00 



800 lbs. guano, 14.00 



200 lbs. of Stockbridge fertilizer, 4.00 



Seed corn, 1.00 



Total cost of production, $31.00 



Total crop of 23 1-4 tons ; cost of one ton in the field $1.33 1-2 ; 

 result of five years' experience of cutting into the silo is from 

 50 to 75 cts. per ton, making total cost of ensilage $2.00 per 

 ton. 



Planted 15 acres of barley yielding 20 tons ; cut 20 tons 

 of hay and sold $75 worth of melons, sweet corn, etc. 



He has kept 20 cows through the season in the barn, and pro- 

 poses to apply the manure as top dressing, this fall, on the 

 grass-fields about the barn and also proposes to winter 40 or 50 



