SOIL AND [Chap. 



tosses down about half an English shovel full^ or 

 less, upon every crossing that the boy has made 

 with his log. He does not mind the effect of 

 the wheels upon the rest of the field, as he goes 

 backward and forward ; the marks of the wheels 

 have no resemblance to the marks of the log, 

 and do not at all confuse him in his work. It 

 W'ould surprise an English farmer to see how 

 much a single man will do in a day, of this sort 

 of work. 



38. Next comes the work of planting the corn, 

 which is performed in this manner. The planter 

 has a good large waistcoat pocket or two, into 

 which he puts his seed. He hay a hoe in his 

 hand, a good stout English hoe, with which, 

 when he comes to the hill, that is to say, where 

 he finds the two or three double handsful of 

 manure, he gives the manure a chop or two to 

 make itin a level form; he then takes five seeds 

 out of his pocket, tosses them down upon the 

 manure, with most admirable indifference as to 

 their distribution upon the spot; and having* 

 raked up with his hoe a little fresh earth to cover 

 the seeds about an inch deep, which he does at 

 one stroke, unless a rock, stone, or a stump, 

 happen to be in his way, he gives the earth upon 

 the top of the seeds a stamp with his foot, and 

 the corn is planted. 



39. It is true that very great crops do not 



