No. 112.] 611 



Reports of Committees. 

 Wheat and Corn. 



The season lias been so unfavorable for crops, that the Society 

 could not expect as favorable a report as in former years. The 

 corn crop may be considered annually as the best and most valu- 

 able raised in the county. Our lands are good for its growth and 

 are easily tilled, and usually reward the farmer for his labor. The 

 last spring many fields were injured by worms and crows ; in some 

 cases the seed was poor, and fields were planted the second time ; 

 the spring was backward and wet, which was followed by a long 

 spell of dry weather, much to the injury of the crop. The fall 

 was more favorable; corn ripened well; is sound and good. 

 Some fields may be considered as good as the last year, but gene- 

 rally the yield has been one-third or one-quarter less. 



Ground for corn should be rich, strong land. Manure is ad- 

 vantageous to the crop in warming and fertilizing the soil, when 

 spread and plowed under, or put in the hill, or both. The plow- 

 ing should be deep and thorough. This gives the surplus of wa- 

 ter in the spring a chance to settle and not drown nor rot the 

 young corn ; and in time of drought it furnishes the roots the ad- 

 vantage of descending and spreading in search of moisture. By 

 placing of the rows north and south and east and west, it gives 

 the sun a chance to strike at the roots and warm the ground. A 

 top dressing of plaster and ashes is beneficial. Good farming re- 

 quires lands to be furnished with those fertilizers by which they 

 maybe improved and not impoverished by a long course of tillage ; 

 that we may leave our farms in as good, or a better condition than 

 we found them. We are encouraged to do tliis not only in dis- 

 charging a duty we owe to the world but by the excellency of our 

 annual ])roducts. 



Oats are considered by your comiiiittee the next vahialde crop, 

 and usually follow the corn and potato cmp. The burden of straw 

 has been It ss and the seed lighter, and.k^s in quantity than in 

 former seasons. Some fields are honorable exceptions, in which 

 the crop has been fine and heavy. 



