CORN. 63 



I had a very rank and heavy crap, but I did not measure it. 

 I invariably cut my corn up at the root at the proper time, in 

 order to secure the stover in its best condition. I planted the 

 common corn, for I have found that you can hardly go amiss, 

 in the state of Connecticut, if you plant that kind of corn. 

 I have raised ears a foot long. 



I think that, for raising corn, plowing in the spring is 

 preferable to plowing in the fall, because we get a fermenta- 

 tion of the sod, and it is a great help in our backward springs 

 towards starting the corn forward. I commonly use the Bil- 

 lings' corn-planter in putting in my seed. A man who under- 

 stands tlie business, can, with a good horse, plant five or six 

 acres in a day with that machine ; and besides, you can put 

 into the seed-planter your fertilizer — superphosphate^ ashes, 

 or whatever it may be, if it is fine — and start your crop for- 

 ward immediately. I soaked my corn this year in sulphate 

 of iron — that is, copperas — and the corn appeared above the 

 ground the fourth day, I think, and went ahead rapidly. 

 Thre was a very large growth and a very satisfactory crop. My 

 corn-crib is in a very satisfactory condition. On a portion of 

 the field, where I put no fertilizer on top, I sowed five or six 

 bushels of salt to the acre, and the corn upon tliat was not so 

 large nor so heavy as upon other portions of the field. 



Mr. Hart. This question of deep and shallow plowing for 

 corn, is one of a great deal of interest. If any gentleman 

 speaking upon the subject has any facts in relation to the re- 

 sults from either mode of plowing, I wish they might be 

 called out here. For my own part, I think the nature of the 

 soil has a good deal to do with the result. With me, compara- 

 tively shallow plowing has had the best results. An instance 

 in illustration occurs to me now. On one occasion I gauged 

 a plow for my hired man, to cut a furrow about five inches 

 deep. One-third of the field was plowed just about as I had 

 left the gauge in the morning, but when I went to the field at 

 night, I found that he had been plowing half the day eight 

 inches deep, right round the field. I said, " What are you 

 about? You have been altering the gauge of the plow." The 

 man said, " Your brother came along, and said, 'you are not 



