242 COST AND PROFIT OF RAISING WHEAT, ETC-, IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE UNION, 
and sown at an unseasonable time, but I am con¬ 
fident that I have not overrated the production, on 
an average, of good farms in this county, which re¬ 
ceive the culture which I have contemplated in my 
estimate of expense. 
Our corn land I would call worth twenty-five 
dollars per acre. 
Interest on which is, . . . $1.60 
Once plowing with double team, . 2.00 
Harrowing, . . . . . 1.50 
Seed and planting, . . . .1.00 
Plaster and putting on the hill, . . 0.37 
Plowing and hoeing twice, . . 2.00 
Cutting by the roots and stacking, . 0.75 
Husking and threshing, . . . 2.50 
$11.62 
Average yield, forty bushels. Cost of produc¬ 
tion twenty-nine cents. 
In this amount I have put down nothing for ma¬ 
nuring nor hauling, because the fodder obtained from 
this crop, being cut up when the kernel begins to 
harden, in the way now universally adopted here, 
and carefully saved, is worth as much as a moder¬ 
ate crop of hay made from the same quantity of 
land: and produces as much manure as is needed 
for future crops. 
Perhaps I ought to explain the fact that it costs 
less to prepare ground for corn than for wheat. 
The most approved mode of raising a corn crop is, 
to plant on sward ground, plowing it but once 
and turning the upper side perfectly under—then 
harrowing lengthwise until a good tilth is produced. 
When the soil is not rich enough, stable manure is 
first spread on the land'. 
I would also explain my putting the value of 
corn land higher than wheat land, by remarking 
that our river bottom and the adjacent grounds, 
are the best for corn, and are more valued, though 
back and more elevated lands produce more and 
better wheat, being less liable to rust and shrink¬ 
ing. 
Statement of J. Shearer , of Plymouth, Mich .— 
After tendering the highest regards, an answer to 
the following questions will be forwarded to you. 
1st. The interest'on the present value of land 
per acre, on which the wheat crop is grown at 6 
per cent. 
2d. The cost of preparing the ground for the 
seed. 
3d. The cost of the seed. 
4th. The expense of tending, gathering, thresh¬ 
ing, and preparing for the market. 
In answer to the foregoing questions, it may be 
stated that lands, in Michigan, vary much in price , 
even of the same quality, consequent on improve¬ 
ment and locality. The value of farming lands 
range from $1.25 to some thirty or forty dollars 
per acre. The cost of clearing and fencing over 
timbered openings, will range from $8 to $12 per 
acre, and these lands compose the great majority 
of that now in cultivation. The prairies and 
plains may be brought into cultivation for a less 
sum than the lands above described, and they com¬ 
pose but a limited portion when compared with 
them, so that a supposed valuation will be made, 
after taking into consideration a general view of 
the whole subject. Therefore, $10 will form a 
principal to cast interest on, and as it requires two 
seasons to mature a wheat crop of the kind mostly 
raised here. 
1st. Two years’ interest may be cast 
on $10, .... $1.20 
2d. The cost of plowing, sowing, and 
harrowing, .... 4.50 
3d. The cost of seed, one and a half 
bushels per acre, . , . 1.40 
4th. The cost of harvesting, . . 1.50 
For threshing and cleaning for 
market . . . . .1.50 
$ 10.10 
Average crop this year per acre fifteen 
bushels, . . e $15) 10.10—67^ 
Corn Crop, 1847. 
Interest on land at 6 per cent, per acre, $0.60 
Plowing and harrowing per acre, . l .50 
Planting two days, at seventy-five 
cents per day, . . 1 .50 
Cultivating and plowing, . . . 1.00 
Hoeing two days, .... 1.50 
Harvesting and shelling, , . 2.25 
$8.35 
Average crop 50 bushels per acre—va¬ 
lue per bushel 30 cts. 
Oat Crop, 1847. 
Interest at 6 per cent, on land, . , $0.60 
Plowing land per acre, . . . 1.50 
Sowing and harrowing, . . . 1.50 
Harvesting and threshing, . . 2.00 
Seed, two bushels per acre, . . 0.50 
$6.10 
Oats valued at 20 cts. per bushel. 
Average yield, this year, 40 bushels per acre, as 
you will see no mention made of manure which is 
set off against the fodder. 
That attention is not paid here to manure and 
seeding which is in the eastern states. The state 
is new and speedily undergoing the preparation for 
manure and seeding to clover. 
By this statement, the wheat crop fails below the 
general average crop of our state, from a close ex¬ 
amination, even by passing through many wheat 
fields in several counties of Michigan, and com¬ 
paring this year’s crop with other years, 15 bush¬ 
els to the acre, as an average amount, is thought 
full high enough. The past season has been very 
favorable to the growth of corn and oats. 
Statement of S. M. Bartlett , of La Salle, Mich . — 
In answer to inquiries from the United States Pa¬ 
tent Office, inclosed in your letter of the 16th inst., 
relative to the cost of raising wheat and Indian 
corn in this vicinity, I send you the following es¬ 
timates for one acre of each. 
Wheat. 
Interest at 6 per cent., on one acre 
of land at $15, . . . $0.90 
Twice plowing the same, . . 2.00 
Twice harrowing do., . 0,50 
