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On Corn. By Joseph Lyman. 
Read April 11th, 1809. 
Hatfield, February 28th, 1809. 
Sir, 
Your letter of 30th, January, reached me early in 
February. I embrace the first leisure hour to attend to 
the contents. My publication of 1796,* is not at hand 
and it is uncertain whether I could find it. I know not 
whether I stated in that publication the condition in 
which my field was at the time of my seeding it with 
Indian corn. If not, it would be proper that you should 
know, that it had been previously, manured in a high 
degree, and the preceding year, if I recollect right, was 
cultivated with a crop of tobacco by persons to whom I 
leased it. With what I should calla slovenly cultiva- 
tion, the 180 rods produced 2600 pounds of merchant- 
able tobacco, and with due attention, might have pro- 
duced hundreds more. 
The next year after the tobacco crop, I took it into 
my own management, and improved it for Indian corn, 
according to the statement you have seen. As to the 
result there stated, it ought to be considered that the 
measurement of the produce was immediately after 
harvest ; probably it would have been eight or ten per 
cent less, had it been delayed until February or March. 
*% For the piece alluded to. See the appendix. 
