32 



JESSE PUTNAM'S STATEMENT. 



To the Committee of the Essex Agricultural Society on Experi- 

 ments in the raising of Potatoes. 

 Gentlemen — I submit to your consideration the following ac- 

 count of a lot of land planted with several kinds of Potatoes in the 

 season of 1829. The parcel of ground contained about one hun- 

 dred square rods, being eleven rods in length and nine rods wide. 

 The soil is a dark loam, naturally rocky, but now chiefly cleared of 

 stones ; and is of good quality. It was situate on the eastern side 

 of IngersolPs Hill, in Danvers, near the Newburyport Turnpike. 

 The land was planted in 1S2S with potatoes, and lightly manured, 

 with manure made principally from meadow hay. In the spring of 

 1829, the land was twice ploughed — the first time coarse, and the 

 seeond time fine — the ploughing was on an average about sis inches 

 deep. On the 23d day of May the land was planted, the rows be- 

 ing across the lot, nine rods long. The manure was of a coarse 

 quality, taken from the barn cellar, made from the litter and drop- 

 pings of the cattle — three fourths of the bulk appeared to be meadow 

 hay — it was placed in the hills, and covered with the seed. The 

 rows were furrowed four feet apart, and there were planted sixty- 

 six hills in a row, leaving the hills about twenty-seven inches apart, 

 on an average. Three cords of manure was put upon the land the 

 present season. Four different kinds of seed were planted : — 



1. The long red, or River La Plate Potatoes. 



2. The speckled blues, a kind that has been well approved by 



several of our farmers, for a number of years. 



3. The Richardson Whites, with small specks of blue upon them. 



4. A white potatoe raised from the seed of the green Balls by my- 



self 

 Each kind were planted in three or four different ways. The 

 manner of the planting and the produce is thus stated : — 



1. Long Red Potatoes. 



bushels 

 No. 1. 2 rows — one large potatoe in a hill, yielded - 10 J 



2. 2 rows — one large potatoe, cut in four pieces, 



placed in a hill, cu« side up, yielded - 11 1 



3. 2 rows — one large potatoe, cut in four pfcces, 



placed in a hill, cut side down, yielded - 11 f 



