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E^PERIMEJVTS OJ>r POTATOES. 



Salem^ JYovember 16, 1820. 



8ENTLEMEN*, 



I received your ftivour of the Ist instant, and shall now en- 

 deaTour to comply with your request respecting the crop of 

 potatoes on an acre of Messrs. Wait and Peirce's lind, in Bridge 

 street. 



1st. As to " the quality and stite of the land in 1819." It wa& 

 yrass land, and was broken up early in December. — Soil black. 



2d. " The produce and general state of cultivation, and the 

 tjuantity and kinds of manure applied to it in that year." The 

 produce had always been English grass, since I was first em- 

 ployed upon it^ which was nearly thirteen years ago ; and it 

 was never broken up during that time, till last autumn. There 

 was always a good crop. No manure was put on it in 1819. 



3d. " The quantity and kinds of manure applied to it in 

 1820." Nine cart loads, for one yoke of oxen, of bam manure. 



4th. " The quantity of deed used, and of potatoes the sott." 

 Twenty bushels of common white potatoes. 



5th. " The times and manner of sowing and planting, weed* 

 ing, tilling and harvesting the crop, and the quantity of labour 

 employed in its production." Four days labour for myself with 

 one yoke of oxen were employed in ploughing twice, harrow- 

 ing twice, and furrowing. It was planted early in June, in hills 

 three feet (large) apart, a shovel full of dung (from the above 

 nine loads) was put into each hole. Three days labour em- 

 ployed in planting. It was weeded the latter part of June ; la- 

 bour three days. It was ploughed between the hills and half- 

 hilled about the middle of July ; labour one and a half days. 

 Crop harvested about the 1st of October in the usual way; la- 

 bour eight days. The whole quantity of laboiir employed in 

 the production of the crop, (besides that of the oxen) was nine- 

 teen and a half days. 



6tb. " The amount of the crop, to be ascertained by meas- 

 liring or weighing." Three hundred and ninety-eig^ht and a half 

 bushels of potatoes. 



