56 WALL'S MANUAL 



between the hills of corn. In the large varieties of 

 corn cultivated in the Southern States, two stalks 

 are as many as will grow to full vigor in one hill. 

 The principal advantage from the latter method is 

 that the corn can be more thoroughly cultivated with 

 the plow, and less hoe work is necessary. The stir- 

 ring of the soil is more complete, and the grass and 

 weeds more thoroughly eradicated, than they can be 

 by running the plow only in one direction. The sun, 

 also, has more free admission to the soil. This 

 method is impracticable on steep or hilly land. 



Quantity of Seed, Each hill should have two or 

 three times as many grains as there are stalks to be 

 left growing. By this means, if the seed has been 

 carefully selected and kept in a dry place, the trouble 

 of replanting may be avoided. Another great advan- 

 tage arising from an abundant application of seed is, 

 that however perfect the grains may seem to bo 

 when planted, some will produce vigorous and healthy 

 plants, while a few, at least, will produce only such 

 as arc feeble and sickly, and can never, by any after 

 culture, be made productive. Five or six grains in a 

 hill will almost always secure enough of the best 

 quality to be loft. 



Every farmer should test the capacity of the differ- 

 ent parts of his land for corn, by actual experiment, 

 lie should, on different parts of the same quality of 

 soil, try the cultivation of one, two or three stalks to 

 every square yard, until he finds out the number best 

 suited to his soil. He will then know how thick to 

 plant his corn, and establish rules for himself far 

 superior to any theories he may find laid down in 

 books. The points of the first importance in the 



