MODES OF HARVESTING. 163 



furrow made by the plough, and a third dressing will 

 leave it quite level. 



535. Three hoeings are thought by some to be requisite 

 for Indian corn ; but, in general, the oftcner it is hoed 

 the better. Should a drought occur, the frequent use of 

 the horse-hoe is particularly advantageous, especially if 

 there be a moist subsoil. It gives the soil a useful stirring 

 and will produce a much more vigorous growth. Great 

 care should be taken that no weeds be allowed in the 



536. While the crop is still standing in the field, just 

 before the gathering, the farmer should mark the earliest 

 and best formed ears, so that they may be distinguished 

 at harvesting and saved for seed the next year. This is 

 better than to trust to a selection at the time of husking, 

 or after the corn is put into the bin. 



537. Those who make a practice of cutting the top 

 stalks, do it about the middle of September, or when the 

 tassel begins to grow dry, after the kernel has hardened. 

 In some cases it is thought that cutting the stalks hastens 

 the ripening of the grain, but if the ears are soft at the 

 time of cutting, they will shrivel and never ripen full and 

 sound. 



538. But the best and most enlightened practice appears 

 to be to cut up the whole plant from the ground after the 

 stalk has slightly turned and begun to ripen, and stook 

 it or set it in a cluster of bundfes bound together at 

 the top so as to shed the rain, where it will soon ripen 

 up, when the ears may be taken off as it stands on the 

 field, or the whole removed to the barn to be husked. 



539. By far the quickest and cheapest way to cut and 

 stook, is to take a pole twelve feet long and fix to one end 

 two legs or supports four or five feet long. The pole is 



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