BROOM CORN. 327 



them into the barn-yard for littering purposes, others fill 

 up gullies, too many of which are seen on our fields, while, 

 by far the largest number allow them to remain until spring, 

 then drag and burn them. Some of the finest crops of In- 

 dian corn I ever saw, were raised on burned land, the salts 

 of the ashes simulating greatly the crop. 



The average crop of one acre in this State, may be put at 

 five to six hundred pounds, dry bush. On good bottom 

 land, one thousand pounds may be easily raised, and occa- 

 sionally on extra land, twelve hundred pounds may be se- 

 cured. But no farmer 'must expect to raise even five hun- 

 dred pounds on poor land, or disappoinment will be his por- 

 tion, as it takes good average land to make even this yield. 

 The cost of cultivating and marketing an acre is about as 

 follows : 



Breaking up ground $ 1.00 



Harrowing twice 1.00 



Planting with hand 1.00 



Plowing twice 2.00 



Breaking and cutting <, 4.00 



Hauling, threshing and drying 4.00 



Wire and baling 2.00 



Kent of land 5.00 



Total cost of one acre $20.00 



Credit by 600 pounds bush, at 6 cents, the average 



price for the last few years $36.00 



By seed, 50 bushels, worth, say 25 cents.. 12.00 



Total $48.50 



Net profit, $28.50 per acre. 



In this estimate the seeds are placed at half the value of 

 oats, there being no market value for them, and it is admit- 

 ted, by all agricultural writers, that broom-corn seed are 

 fully equal, in value as feed, to oats. Then, the quantity 

 of seed per acre is fully low enough to make due allowance 



