THE GROWING OF CORN. 125 



cow. The increase was so great, that I contiiiiied to feed in 

 that way through the winter. I do not know, but I suspect 

 that it was the warm food rather than cutting the stalks, 

 wliieh produced the result. 



Mv. . Charles Lamb, in his "Popular Fallacies," says 



that one of the best things about a feast is, that there is 

 usually something left for next day. One reason why I 

 raise corn has not been stated here ; and that is, for the 

 preparation in which it leaves the ground for the next crop. 

 I very much prefer to sow my grass-seed in my cornfield. 

 I have been in the habit of raising small corn by level 

 culture, and sowing grass-seed in the corn. I state that 

 point because I do not want it passed over. I think there 

 are other gentlemen here who have had like exjDcrience. By 

 raising a corn-crop two years in succession, we prepare the 

 ground for seeding back to grass, and accomplish just the 

 thing 'we want to accomplish. I am glad to say, in his pres- 

 ence, that my attention was first called to this subject by our 

 honored ex-governor, who, in an article in the public press 

 some years ago, referred to this matter, saying that the two 

 crops which we could raise in Massachusetts in our hill 

 towns were corn and grass ; and by this process we can raise 

 them profitably and successfully, I think. 



The Chairman. I will call upon Mr. Alexander 

 Hyde of Lee, who knows a great deal about corn. 



Mr. Hyde. I do not know as much about corn as you 

 may think I do. I know more about apples and potatoes 

 than about corn. ]\Iy farm is a grass-farm. I can raise grass 

 more easily than I can corn, and my wife saj^s I am all 

 " gone to grass." I want to express my great gratification, 

 however, at the essay to which we have listened this after- 

 noon. It was very exhaustive indeed for so short an essay. 

 But there was one little point I would like to have had him 

 carry out more fully ; and that is, the benefit of cultivating 

 our land, from the aeration which it gives to it. He spoke 

 of the great benefit of cultivating our corn-land, and did it 

 exceedingly well. I agree with him entirely ; but, when he 

 came to speak of the special benefits, he mentioned the 

 mulching which it gives to the surface : he mentioned not 

 pruning, causing the plant to throw out more succulent 

 roots from the main stalk, to produce more corn and less 



