On clearing Land, 327 



they are gotten out by narrow roads, or from the sides 

 during the winter. 



Indian com is the crop which follows the burning, 

 being planted in holes made with a hoe, immediately 

 after it, if done in the spring. Very little grass will ap- 

 pear, and two slight hoeings, keeping the stumps shrub- 

 bed will produce a better crop, than grubbing, coul- 

 tering, and ploughing united, without burning. The 

 second year the plough and coulter will bring up all the 

 grubs killed by the fire, and a second cultivation, 

 nearly or quite kills the few live stumps left. The 

 value of the ashes as a dressing to the land, is evident 

 from the crops. 



Care should be taken, to give the fire a direction 

 which will prevent it from doing mischief, as the more 

 violent it is, the better. And if the ground cut down 

 be inclosed during the winter with a wooden fence, a 

 space of twelve feet wide should be cleared of com- 

 bustibles adjoining it. The labourers should be nu- 

 merous on the day of burning, and be armed with 

 green pine or cedar boughs, if to be had, if not, with 

 such as will retain leaves longest, to beat out the fire, 

 if it trespasses. 



If land be sufficiently covered with inferior growth, 

 to insure a thorough burning, the business of clearing 

 is expedited by belting the largest trees. This is 

 sometimes the case in wet lands. These are drained, 

 if necessary, by opening the water course, or by a small 

 ditch, just sufficing in dry weather, to remove any ob- 

 stacle to the burning from moisture. Then a suffici- 

 ency of the growth to produce a good cover and severe 

 fire, is cut down, and the a ery large trees belted. The 



