MODE OF [Chap* 



of plants^ and having them properly placed. My 

 crop has suffered greatly from the want of this 

 silence at the time of the plantmg : if there be a 

 talk going on, it is impossible that the planter 

 should attend minutely to his distances. 



62. With intervals of five feet, and plants at 

 six inches in the row, you will find, that each 

 plant would occupy tivo and a half square feet of 

 ground, consequently, there would be a fifth less 

 number of plants on an acre, than with intervals 

 of three feet and distances of eight inches in 

 the row; but, 1 am quite certain that the superior 

 summer tillage, to say nothing of the cheapness of 

 the tillage, and the advantage of conveniently tak- 

 ing off and harvesting the tops, would cause a much 

 greater crop to be produced, than with intervals 

 of three feet, and distances of eight inches in the 

 row. HercAvould be scarcely any hand work at all. 

 The plough might go deeply and very near to the 

 plants. The last ploughing would help to earth 

 them up with the greatest possible convenience ; 

 and, in short, whether as to air, sun, or any other 

 circumstance, the intervals of five feet appear to 

 me to be the best. Even, if the planting took 

 ])lace in hills as before mentioned, I should pre- 

 fer five feet one way and four feet the other way, 

 in order that a small cart might easily go between 

 to take up the tops, without which the trouble 

 of bringing them off is exceedingly great. 



