464 Wisconsin state agricultural society. 
The dry weather seriously affected the yield of these potatoes, 
as they were well cared for, and on ground that was in a good 
state of cultivation. They were planted May 14th, in rows 4 feet 
apart, hills, 11-2 feet in row. To compare the results of different 
amounts of seed in the hill, and hills at different distances apart, 
three plats were planted to Peachblow variety, May loth, as follows : 
Plat 1. Rows 4 feet apart, hills 18 inches in row. A fair sized 
potato was cut into three pieces, and one piece planted in a hill. 
Yield per acre, 57.2 bushels. 
Plat 2. Two pieces of seed to the hill; in all other respects as 
plat 1. Yield per acre, 80 bushels. 
Plat 8. Hills 8 feet apart in row. Two pieces of seed to the 
hill, making the same amount of seed per acre as plat 1, with half 
the number of hills ; and half the seed and number of hills of plat 
2. Yield per acre, 69.4 bushels. 
Improvement of Soils by Mechanical Means. 
This experiment, begun in 1871, to ascertain the value of tilling 
land at different depths, has been continued. Four adjacent plats 
of an acre each are to be cultivated as follows : 
Plat 1, to be plowed to the depth of five inches only. 
Plat 2, to be plowed to the depth of twelve inches. 
Plat 3, to be plowed twenty inches deep by trench plowing. 
Plat 4, to be plowed twenty inches deep by subsoiling. 
In all other respects, than those named, the plats are to be cul¬ 
tivated alike. 
In 1871, plats 1 and 2 were cultivated in the prescribed manner : 
Plat 3 was plowed to the depth of twelve inches only. 
Plat 4 was plowed twelve inphes deep, and subsoiled four inches 
deeper. The past year, plats 1 and 2 were cultivated as before. 
Plat 3 was plowed seventeen inches deep, and plat 4, trench 
plowed to the same depth. One-half of each plat was planted to 
Early Yellow Bent Corn, May 22d, and the remaining half to 
Cherokee. The yield of each plat in bushels of ears weighing 75 
lbs. each, is as follows: 
Plat 1 
Plat 2 
Plat 3 
Plat 4 
43.52 bushels. 
50.32 bushels. 
54.74 bushels. 
56.77 bushels. 
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