SECRETARY'S REPORT. 23 



premium; yet without putting any manure in the hill. The 

 other, put as much on the piece, but used it all in the hill, ma- 

 nuring very richly. Neither obtained much more than a me- 

 dium crop. There could be little doubt if the plan pursued by 

 each had been slightly modified, the crop of both would have 

 been largely increased. 



It is proper to remark, also, that the best farmers in other 

 sections of the State, are fast adopting the flat culture as the 

 most rational and the best ; and chiefly, for the reasons stated 

 in the extract above. There is, also, another advantage in it ; 

 that grass seed can be sown among the corn, if desired, in 

 August or September. This is sometimes done, and always 

 with success. If the corn is planted in spring with this inten- 

 tion, it is thought best to spread the manure as above described ; 

 plough and furrow, using concentrated manure, as guano, in the 

 hill. The corn is dropped upon it, and covered ; the top of 

 the hill being in the furrow, below the surface of the ground. 

 The first hoeing raises the earth slightly up around the corn, 

 and the second, makes the surface perfectly level. But few 

 experiments of this kind have come under my observation, but 

 they have been, without exception, very successful ; and it is 

 probable that this method of planting will be more generally 

 adopted, particularly on land subject to drought. 



Hat. 



Another very important crop, and one whose failure or suc- 

 cess must have great influence upon the prosperity of the 

 farming community, is that of hay. Scarcely any thing raised 

 in the State is of greater consequence. On it depends largely, 

 or perhaps wholly, our success in the keeping and improvement 

 of stock. The severity of our winters requires us to use the 

 utmost care and foresight to guard against their eff'ects, and 

 hay must always continue to be the article most relied on for 

 fodder for our cattle during the winter. 



The necessity of a rotation of crops, is now generally 

 admitted ; and many, in their practice, apply with more or less 

 discretion, the principles which late researches on this sub- 

 ject have established. This improvement, together with a 

 better acquaintance with the nature of soils, and the greater 



