SMALL GRAIN. 199". 



quicker thus treated than any other way, as the sun will have 

 more effect on it. But if the ground is in good order, I pulver- 

 ize thoroughly with a heavy harrow to destroy all the weeds 

 that may have started, lay off with a sled, and plant as before. 



After the corn has been planted, and a few days before it 

 comes up, I harrow thoroughly ; there is no danger of injuring 

 the corn, but this will leave the ground clean and in fine con- 

 dition. I select seed in the Fall, when gathering corn, and 

 keep it in a dry place. 



When the corn is two or three inches high I take a pair of 

 double plows (I use no single ones, except in stumps), and run 

 as close to it as possible, without tearing it up, plowing about 

 two inches deep, and throAving the dirt from the corn. About 

 a week or ten days later, I take two horse cultivators and run 

 crosswise of the corn, putting them in deep and throwing as 

 much dirt to the corn as it will bear. Again, after a similar 

 length of time, I cultivate lengthwise. The corn is now large 

 enough to " lay by." I take the double plows again, and throw 

 a big ridge to the corn by plowing deep and cutting out all the 

 middle. Now it is harvest, after which I never plow corn, 

 unless planted late. I have never failed on a corn crop. 



SMALL GRAIN. 



I make no specialty of oats, raising only enough for our 

 own use. I sow as soon as the ground will permit, because 

 early oats are always the best. It pays to put them in well. 



I grow wheat more for changing the land, than for profit, 

 yet for the last two years the crop has been remunerative. I sow 

 mostly on wheat and oat stubble, plowing as soon as possible 

 after harvest — giving the hogs time to clean it up. I pulverize 

 thoroughly by harrowing, and roll or drag to make the ground 

 solid ; then, with a drill, sow one and three-eighths bushels to 

 the acre, between the 10th and 25tli of September. 



We have thus far used the " Marsh Harvester " for cutting 

 grain, with success. I usually stack wheat, believing it better 

 to go through the sweat in the stack, which takes about four 

 weeks. 



