134 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



advantage on loose, dry soils. Weak, puny corn 

 can be raised in a sand-bank ; but foolish indeed 

 would a farmer be to plant his corn in such a local- 

 ity. Corn requires a good, retentive soil, a good, 

 fine loam, in which to grow in perfection, and if 

 the owner of lands has none such, let him not at- 

 tempt to grow it. His fields are better adapted to 

 melons, beans, rye, or perhaps wheat. It is useless 

 to attempt to force corn or any of the noble grains 

 to grow upon naturally wet or low clay bottom 

 lands, without thorough drainage and deep tillage. 

 Such are better adapted to grass, and grass farms, 

 if kept in good tilth, are the most profitable of all. 

 Every- cultivator of the soil must first become ac- 

 quainted with the physical character of each parcel 

 he has under his charge, and then he will know 

 what crops are adapted to the several localities. 



By drainage and deep tillage, the physical con- 

 dition of most lands can be completely changed, 

 and with the supplying of such chemical agents as 

 are needed, crops of every description can be raised, 

 satisfactory and remunerative to the husbandman. 



