152 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



much on the season. Late frosts will sometimes cut down 

 the first leaves, without destroying the germ ; but it is al- 

 ways best to defer planting till all apprehensions of it are 

 removed. In the more southern States, earlier planting is 

 desirable, and it is there put into the ground from February 

 to April. To give regularity to the rows and facilitate after 

 culture, the furrows for the seed should be struck out each 

 way with the utmost exactness, and twice the corn planted 

 that is necessary to remain. It requires to be covered about 

 two inches deep. The surplus plants can be pulled up at 

 the second hoeing, when all fear of injury is past. If the 

 land is light, it should be laid flat before planting, and after 

 this, rolled compactly. 



Planting machines have been recently invented for putting 

 in this grain, which greatly diminish the labor, while they 

 perform the operation more perfectly. A light horse, or 

 mule and boy can furrow and drop the seed, cover and roll, 

 from eight to twelve acres per day ; and with entire uni- 

 formity as to distance, depth of covering, and quantity of 

 seed in each hill. 



Cultivation. The ground may be stirred when the 

 plants first show themselves. This is most economically 

 done with the cultivator or light plow, and if the operation 

 be frequent and thorough, there will be little use for the hoe. 

 Hilling or heaping the earth around the plants should al- 

 ways be avoided, except with very heavy soils, or such as 

 are liable to an excess of moisture ; in all other cases it 

 should remain flat. Stirring the ground in dry weather, is 

 peculiary beneficial to corn and all hoed crops. Some omit 

 it^then from fear of the escape of moisture, but its effect is 

 precisely the reverse, for nothing so certainly produces fria- 

 bleness, porosity and unevenness in the soil ; and this we 

 have shown, under the heads of soils and draining, facili- 

 tates the admission and escape of heat, which inevitably 

 secures the deposit of large quantities of moisture, even in 

 the driest and most sultry weather. Corn and other crops 

 that were withering from excessive drought, have been at 

 once rescued from its effects, by a thorough use of the plow 

 and cultivator. Well-drained, dark-colored, and rich porous 

 soils will be found to suffer much less in drought, than others 

 which lack these characteristics. 



Harvesting. If there be no danger of early frost, the 

 corn may be suffered to stand till fully ripe ; though if the 

 stalks are designed for fodder, they are better to be cut when 



