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The wings or moulding plates of the hoe, which are 

 calculated to earth up the foil to the rows of corn, fo as to 

 caufe the roots to ifflie from the firfl joint of the ftem above 

 the furface, which otherwife would not have exifted, 

 fliould never be ufed for the firfl: hoeing, but fliould always 

 be ufed for the laft hoeing, and ufed or not ufed, at the 

 option of the farmer, when any intermediate hoeing is 

 performed. The lafl: hoeing or earthing up flaould not 

 take place till the crop is eight or ten inches high; or till 

 the young ears of corn are fo far advanced in the flems, 

 as to be above the furface of the foil, when the earthing up 

 is finifhed. The young ears of corn will, on difTcfting a 

 few flems, be found to exifl: in embryo as it were, much 

 fooncr than is generally apprehended. The abfurdity of 

 rolling any crop after the young ears are formed, and of 

 earthing up the foil, before they are advanced in the flems 

 above the furface of the foil, mufl be felf-evident. In the 

 former inflance they will be crufhed by the roller; in the 

 latter, they will be fmothered by the foil. THq youno- 

 ears of corn will be found to exifl:, as foon as the fecondary 

 or coronal roots are formed. 



The above obfervations on hoeing wheat and rye, are 

 applicable to the hoeing of all fpring crops; only the firfl: 

 hoeing of barley, oats. See. fhould take place as foon as the 

 fecond blade or leaf of the young plant appears; and of 

 beans, peafe. Sec. as foon as the plants can be diftinguifhcd 

 in the rows. 



The beft fcafon for hoeing is two or three days after 

 rain, or fo foon after rain as the foil will quit the infl-ru- 

 ment in hoeing. Light dry foils may be hoed almolt at 



any 



