VI.] CULTIVATION. 



or for any other, and should conthiue too long a 

 time in a visiting or frolicking humour, the poor 

 corn gives signs of the consequence, by becom- 

 ing yellow, and sharp -pointed at the blade. By- 

 and-bye, however, the Yankee comes with his 

 plough ; and it would frighten an English farmer 

 out of his senses to see hovv^ he goes on, swearing; 

 at the horses, and tearing about the ground, and 

 tumbling it up against the plants 3 but, at any 

 rate, moving it all pretty deeply, somehow or 

 other. I have seen them do this when the tassel 

 was nearly at its full height, and when the silk 

 was appearing from the ears. One rule is inva- 

 riable 5 that is, that if the corn be not ploughed 

 at all there will be no crop ', there will be tassel, 

 and the semblande of ears ; but (upcn ordinary 

 land, at least), there will be no crop at all. 



103. If the reader will neither go to America 

 nor read the book of Mr. Tull, which latter is 

 quite sufficient for any rational person, he may- 

 take a spade; and, I hope that it is not necessary 

 to tell him that this is an iron instrument, about 

 nine inches long and seven inches wide, with a 

 sharp edge at the bottom, and a socket at the top 

 to receive a handle about two feet and a half long, 

 at the top of which there is an eye, for the 

 greater convenience of handling; he may take a 

 spade, and go to two rows of cabbages forming 

 part of a plat of that vegetable, and, holding the 



