123 



has been exhausted by continual cropping, without rest or 

 manure, until it has scarcely any soil left, except what deep 

 ploughing alone could bring up. The average product of 

 such land thus sown, does not exceed seven or eight bushels 

 per acre. 



One of the better modes for corn ground is, to prepare 

 the ground for a good crop of corn in the first place. This 

 is done by scattering manure broadcast over a sod. Cattle 

 are often fed with corn fodder over the field, whilst the 

 ground is frozen the winter previous. Early in the spring 

 the ground is double ploughed. In July, when the last 

 ploughing is given to the corn, the wheat is carefully sown, 

 some sowing but the width of a row at the same time. It is 

 ploughed in with as many furrows as are necessary to stir 

 all the ground, after which it is harrowed with a small har- 

 row. The yield by this mode ranges from 20 to 30 bushels 

 to the acre. 



Another of the best modes is, to break up a clover field, 

 the clover not being cut or pastured close, by ploughing five 

 to six inches in depth ; after which it is harrowed. When 

 the clover has rotted, the wheat is sown and ploughed in 

 with the shovel plough, and the ground levelled with the 

 harrow. The product is about the same as by the other 

 method. 



The time of seeding with our best farmers, is much earlier 

 now than it was a few years since. The months of Septem- 

 ber and October are, usually, so very dry, that wheat sown 

 in these months does not root deeply enough to endure the 

 rigors and sudden changes of our winters. Sometimes it is 

 sown as early as the beginning of July; and I have heard of 

 only two or three instances in which the wheat was supposed 

 to have been jointed, and killed in consequence. But usually, 

 when sown even so early, it has done well. 



The quantity of seed used is from one to one and a quarter 

 bushels to the acre. This is not enough, especially when 

 harrowed in and sown late. 



