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  AGRICULTURE. 
  

  

  The 
  most 
  usual 
  time 
  of 
  planting 
  is 
  about 
  the 
  first 
  of 
  

   March 
  ; 
  the 
  only 
  motive 
  for 
  planting 
  earlier 
  being 
  to 
  get 
  

   out 
  of 
  the 
  way 
  of 
  the 
  cotton 
  crop 
  ; 
  the 
  cultivation 
  of 
  

   which 
  is 
  too 
  much 
  embarrassed 
  by 
  a 
  late 
  crop 
  of 
  corn. 
  

  

  The 
  plough 
  is 
  the 
  principal 
  implement 
  employed 
  in 
  

   the 
  cultivation, 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  rarely 
  gone 
  over 
  more 
  than 
  

   twice 
  with 
  the 
  hoe. 
  

  

  The 
  blades 
  are 
  generally 
  in 
  a 
  condition 
  to 
  be 
  gathered 
  

   for 
  fodder 
  between 
  the 
  laying 
  hy 
  of 
  the 
  cotton 
  and 
  the 
  

   commencement 
  of 
  the 
  picking 
  season. 
  

  

  The 
  tops 
  or 
  top 
  fodder 
  are 
  very 
  rarely 
  saved, 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  

   northern 
  States 
  ; 
  and 
  the 
  blades, 
  after 
  being 
  dried 
  in 
  the 
  

   field, 
  and 
  tied 
  in 
  bundles, 
  are 
  put 
  up 
  in 
  stacks 
  in 
  or 
  near 
  

   the 
  barnyard, 
  but 
  more 
  usually 
  in 
  convenient 
  places 
  in 
  

   the 
  fields 
  where 
  they 
  grow. 
  

  

  Some 
  planters 
  gather 
  their 
  corn 
  in 
  the 
  latter 
  part 
  of 
  

   August, 
  or 
  before 
  the 
  press 
  of 
  the 
  cotton-picking 
  season. 
  

   If 
  it 
  is 
  suffered 
  to 
  remain 
  in 
  the 
  field, 
  as 
  it 
  frequently 
  

   is, 
  until 
  the 
  approach 
  of 
  winter, 
  it 
  is 
  usual 
  to 
  bend 
  down 
  

   the 
  stalk 
  below 
  the 
  ear, 
  as 
  in 
  that 
  inverted 
  position 
  it 
  is 
  

   better 
  protected 
  from 
  the 
  weather, 
  the 
  shuck, 
  or 
  husk, 
  

   very 
  effectually 
  shedding 
  the 
  rain, 
  and 
  preventing 
  the 
  

   mildew 
  and 
  sprouting 
  of 
  the 
  grain. 
  It 
  is 
  also 
  less 
  ex- 
  

   posed 
  to 
  damage 
  from 
  violent 
  winds, 
  which 
  frequently 
  

   occur 
  about 
  the 
  period 
  of 
  the 
  autumnal 
  equinox, 
  and 
  

   better 
  protection 
  against 
  the 
  depredations 
  of 
  the 
  wood- 
  

   pecker, 
  blackbird, 
  and 
  other 
  enemies, 
  is 
  thus 
  afforded. 
  

  

  The 
  proper 
  time 
  and 
  mode 
  of 
  housing 
  corn, 
  with 
  

   reference 
  to 
  the 
  ravages 
  of 
  the 
  weevil, 
  have 
  long 
  been 
  a 
  

   contested 
  question 
  among 
  planters. 
  

  

  Many 
  store 
  it 
  away 
  in 
  open, 
  well-ventilated 
  cribs, 
  

   with 
  latticed 
  sides. 
  Others 
  sprinkle 
  the 
  different 
  layers 
  

   of 
  corn, 
  always 
  put 
  up 
  in 
  the 
  shucJc, 
  with 
  a 
  weak 
  brine, 
  

  

  