Agricultural Maxima. 
ber of the Botley Farmers' Club, and frequently a judge at the 
annual meetings of the Royal Agricultural Society, informs me 
that, in 1857, on a field of light loamy soil in his occupation, he 
grew an extraordinary crop of the white Belgian carrot, of which 
the following particulars give the history. 
" Fallow iirei)aration : soiV, sandy loam; seed, white Belgian cniiot, G lbs. 
per acre, diilled May 14th, 16 inches apart between the rows; mam:re, 
2 cwts. superpliosphate of lime and 25 bushels of ashes per acre ; the crop flat- 
hoed between the rows ; the rows thinned by hand-pulling, which afforded 14 
tons per acre of excellent food for cattle from 1st August to 14th September. 
The roots we raised in the second week of Xoveinber weighed 24 tons 18 cwts. 
2 qrs. per acre, there being 348 roots per pole ; the tops weighed by estimate 
7 tons 5 cwts. per acre ; total weight of crop per acre, 46 tons 3 cwts. 2 qrs. 
On a part of the same field, the crop, not thinned in the rows, raised at the same 
time, weighed 31 tons 2 cwts. 3 qrs. per acre, there being 980 plants per pole, 
the tops weighing by estimate 6 tons 10 cwts. per acre : total weight of crop 
per acre, 37 tons 12 cwts. 3 qrs." 
In 1858 the following was Mr. Blundell's experience of the 
same crop : — 
" Preparatioii. — One ploughing after a good crop of ti'ifolium cut for soilLuL:; 
cattle ; manured with yard-duug, 25 tons per acre, before ploughing. We drilled 
with the seed 8 bushels of bone-dust and 20 bushels of ashes per acre : 6 lbs. 
of white Belgian carrot-seed per acre were drilled May 22nd, 16 inches apart 
between the rows ; the crop was flat-hoed between the rows ; the rows thinned 
by hand-pulling, which afforded 12 tons per acre of cattle-food from August 2nd 
to September 16th ; the roots, raised second week in November, weighed 
19 tons 4 cwts. 32 lbs., there being 395 roots per pole, the tops estimated to 
weigh Tj tons per acre ; total weight of crop per acre, 38 tons 14 cwts. 32 lbs." 
With reference to these figures Mr. Blundell says that neither 
the thinnings of the crop nor the greens were weighed, but that, 
having often weighed the greens from liis carrot-crop up to 9 
tons per acre, he is confident in the accuracy of his estimate. 
The main crop of roots was actually weighed. 
5. The following still more remarkable history has probably 
never been paralleled, and may therefore be recorded as a 
genuine agricultural maximum. It relates to a period of fifteen 
years ago, but is authenticated by trustworthy eye-witnesses. 
Mr. William Cubitt, of Bacton Abbey, North Waisham, well 
known in Norfolk as an energetic practical agriculturist, writes 
as follows : — 
" I now send yoxx a short history of the extraordinary field of wheat to 
which I previously alluded, as also a communication on the subject from the 
owner and occupier of the land, George Wilkinson, Esq., whose veracity may 
be relied on. 
" This field, situated in the parish of Haisborough, about four furlongs from 
the sea, contains 5a. 1r. 38p., and is of average fertility with the lands adjoining, 
being a good loamy soil resting upon a strong subsoil, but sufScienth' porous 
not to require draining, and suitable to every kind of cropping. 
" In 1843 it was sown with peas, probably preceded by wheat. In the 
autumn of that year it v/as again sown with 'Spalding' wheat— about 3 
