138 PLYMOUTH SOCIETY. 



upon the two acres three pecks of herd's-grass seed, half bushe 

 red top, and seventeen pounds clover seed, and raked it in. 

 Manure, thirty cubic feet to a load. I would remark, that I 

 consider weeds as great a pest to land as a drunkard is to soci- 

 ety. I have used a harrow for thirty years, and weeds can no 

 more live under a harrow than a toad. The harrow mixes and 

 refines the earth better than any other instrument, especially 

 where you seed to grass, which I have been in the habit of doing 

 for fifteen years. 



Corn upon a level surface will stand up better than if hilled 

 up, for the brace roots are larger and stronger, being exposed to 

 sun and air. 



Expense. — Ploughing and rolling two acres, $4 50 ; carting 

 and spreading manure, $8 .50 ; ploughing under and furrowing, 

 $3 00 ; seed corn and planting, $3 75 ; harrowing and weeding, 

 $5 00 ; harrowing and hoeing second time, ^3 00 ; sowing grass 

 seed and raking in, $1 00 ; harvesting, $7 00 ; topping stalks, 

 $2 00 ; half the value of manure, |33 75. Total, ^72 00. 



Value of Crop. — One hundred and sixty-three bushels of corn, 

 at ninety cents, $146 70; stalks, $14 00; butts, $11 00. Total, 

 $171 70. Profits, $99 70. 



North Middleborough, Oct. 19t/i, 1846. 



Nathan Whitman^ s Statement. 



The acre of ground that I planted to corn, from which the su- 

 pervisor harvested 45^ pounds, amounting to 97 5-75 bushels per 

 acre, was greensward, of a sandy soil, and not in a good condi- 

 tion until I ploughed it, the 16th and 17th of May, seven inches 

 deep; then spread forty-eight loads of compost manure, and 

 ploughed it lightly again, not disturbing the sward : then rolled 

 and furrowed it, with a machine fixed with the teeth of a cul- 

 tivator, three feet six inches one way, and dropped the corn 

 one foot six inches the other, putting three corns in each hill ; 

 finished planting the 20th of May. Last of June, cultivated it 



