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employed in measuring the potatoes. The propriety of this care was shown in the fact that a basket filled twice with either corn or potatoes scarcely ever weighed the same at each filling, the variation ranging from to 6 pounds. The number of hills was also carefully counted in each experiment.

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Notwithstanding an unfavorable season, these results are encouraging and suggestive. All the rows treated with compost gave a good return except No. 8, which was ruined by salt in the hill. The seven rows gave an average yield of 91.14 bushels corn per acre, while those treated without compost gave an average yield of 63.77 bushels per acre, showing a gain of over 42 per cent. from use of compost. The beneficial influence of salt as a top-dressing, as shown in No. 14, encourages further experiments with it.

POTATOES.

Ten rows of potatoes were planted May 27th, on soil of same quality as the corn ground, and adjoining it. The preparation of the ground was the same. The seed used was a large red potatoe called popularly "Western Reds." The potatoes were cut in large pieces, and one piece planted in each hill. They were planted in large flat hills and covered 2 to 3 inches deep.

I present a tabular statement of the manures employed:

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The vines came up June 8th to 10th. They were cultivated at the same time and in the same manner as the corn, and hoed immediately after the corn each time. The top dressings were applied after the first hoeing. At the second hoeing large flat hills were formed.

The cold weather did not seem to have so deleterious an influence on the potatoes as on the corn. The vines maintained a moderate vigor after the frost of August 29th, and were not killed till September 21st. The potatoes were dug October 21st and 22d, and yielded large sound potatoes.

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Taking No. 1 as representing what the soil would produce without any applications, it is easy to estimate the beneficial influence of the several applications. It will be seen that muck and night-soil surpass all the others, and that the addition of plaster and salt in the hill diminishes the product. Comparing Nos. 4 and 5 with No. 1, the increase from the use of compost is more than 46 per cent. But it is not safe to draw too many conclusions from so limited an induction of particulars as these experiments afford.

During the growth of both these crops it was easy to distinguish at a considerable distance the rows to which compost had been applied, on account of the more luxuriant growth, and the deeper green of the leaves of the plants.

I present a statement of the cost of raising these crops and of the profit of the same:

Rent of ground fitted for crop,.

Preparing and applying compost,

Seed corn,.

Seed potatoes,....

Salt and plaster,...

$6.00

1 33

22 1 25

25

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