87 



The land was ploughed once about the middle of May, 

 1865, eight inches deep, and harrowed. Cost, $5. Twenty- 

 five loads manure was spread and ploughed in ; value, $45. 

 It was planted, May 25th — rows four feet apart each way — 

 five kernels of eight rowed corn in the hill ; cost of seed and 

 planting, $3. Cultivated June 5th, twice in a row each way, 

 and about June 12th ploughed both ways and cultivated one, 

 and hoed July 20th and cultivated both ways ; cost of culti- 

 vation, $4. The stalks were cut September 1st, and the corn 

 husked in the field October 12th and 13th; cost of harvest- 

 ing, $4. 



Product. — 200 bundles of top stalks, together with the 

 butts, valued at $10 ; 6,600 pounds of corn in the ear, equal 

 to 165 bushels. 



The principal part of the labor of cultivation was done with 

 the plough and cultivator, in consequence of which the cost 

 has been less than when the hoe alone is used. 



A man and horse can plough four acres of corn in a day, 

 turning the furrow away from the rows when small, the next 

 time using the cultivator to level the ground, which can be 

 done as often as the weeds start. I have found that stirring 

 the ground three or four times and leaving a flat surface gives 

 the corn a much more vigorous growth, than by the old pro- 

 cess of weeding and hilling. 



STATEMENT OF OLIVER P. KILLAM. 



The field planted contained six acres, potatoes being planted 

 round the outside. The crop of 1S63 was grass, no manure 

 being used. Crop of 1864 — corn on two-thirds, the rest 

 grass, fifty loads of manure being used where the corn 

 was planted ; none on the grass. The soil a gravelly loam. 

 In 1865 the field was ploughed between the first and twelfth 

 of May about eight inches deep ; harrowed and furrowed. 



