252 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY, 
rather low. In the fall of 1873, an underground drain was laid 
through each of the plats, to carry away water that formerly flowed 
over them all, after heavy rains. 
During the first four years, these plats were in cultivation to corn 
exclusively. In 1875, a portion was in cultivation to corn and a 
portion to oats. 
The five years through which the experiment was to be continued, 
expired last year. During the past season these plats have been in 
cultivation to corn, all of them having been plowed alike, about 
eight inches deep, except that plat 1 was plowed no deeper than 
before, in order that no unstirred soil should be brought to the sur¬ 
face. The following table gives the yield per acre for the respect¬ 
ive years, the corn being in bushels of ears, weighing 75 lbs. each: 
Method of Cultivation. 
1871. 
1872. 
1873. 
1874. 
18 
75. 
1876. 
Corn. 
Oats. 
Corn. 
Plowed 5 inches deep. 
55.4 
43.5 
53.4 
53 
67.7 
60.2 
45.7 
Plowed 12 inches deep. 
50.6 
50.3 
52 8 
58.1 
67 
65.5 
46.8 
Trench-plowed 18 inches deep 
44.9 
54. 7 
51.3 
65.3 
60.5 
65.1 
43.6 
Subsoiled 18 inches deep.... 
41.2 
56.8 
51.1 
60.8 
57.2 
6’4 
44.1 
In 1875, plats 3 and 4 were quite severely injured by the chinch- 
bug. 
The average yield of corn for the entire six years is as follows: 
Plowed 5 inches deep, 63.1 bushels. 
Plowed 12 inches deep, 65.2 bushels. 
Trench-plowed 18 inches deep, 64.2 bushels. 
Subsoiled 18 inches deep, 62.7 bushels. 
My thanks are due to Mr. E. G. Hayden, superintendent, for 
his hearty co-operation in conducting these experiments. 
I 
