768 



FARMERS' R E G I S 1' E R . 



by two horses, and having a long monid board, on each 

 side of the corn, immediately preceding this hand- 

 hoein"-. ' As the corn is very low, this furrow must be 

 run so far from it, that the earth raised by tlie mould 

 board will not quite reach it, but be left on each side, 

 so as to form a narrow trough on the ridge in which 

 the corn stands, to be filled up by the hand-hoemg un- 

 mediatciy following this fun ow. The hoe will have 

 little else to do, and two thirds of the labor usually 

 attending this operation will be saved. It is belter 

 performecl. The deep furrow destroys all the grass 

 in its range. In rows five and a half feet wide, the 

 earth moved by the helve on the left of the share, meets 

 and covers the grass in the water furrows between the 

 ridges. And the earth thrown up by the share and the 

 mould beard towards the corn, is used to stifle the grass 

 in the trough on the top of the ridge and about the 

 young corn. A hand-hoeing in the usual way is 

 infitd?ely more laborious, and in humidseasons, from its 

 shallowness, infinitely less effectual in destroying the 

 grass, whence it is olten enabled suddenly to take root 

 and to grow with renovated vigor ; somev/hat similar 

 to the "tfect of scarifications applied to green swards 

 even of wheat. The deep ploughing of this sugges- 

 tion, its acceleration of the first hand-hoeing, and its 

 suppression of the grass whilst it is young and weak, 

 by a cover of earth, will both obstruct this misfortune, 

 and enable the corn to reap great benefit from the 

 genial weather which occurs in the early part of the 

 summer, instead of often being destroyed by it. 



If Indian corn is a crop of such value, as it is sup- 

 posed to be in these essays, the selection of the best 

 species is an oliject of importance. The little said 

 of this, arose from the necessity of the different 

 climates of the United States for ddferent kinds. But 

 tile vast number of varieties abounding in the same 

 latitudes, disclose a want of spirit for fixing so import- 

 ant a preference as that of the best over the whole 

 rabble, by careful experiments. Those which I have 

 made have inculcated the opinion, that the species 

 which combines the three circumstances of producing 

 the most stalk, the largest cob, and the longest grain, 

 is the best for the latitude of 88 degrees north. The 

 small (iintv forward kind, producing from two to six 

 ears on a stalk, inspired the most hope, and produced 

 the most disappointment of any I have tried. Its 

 superiority of weight was counterbalanced by many 

 disadvantages. Early kinds are unexceptionably 

 dwarfish, a"n<lthe latest I have procured has the largest 

 stalk. The length of the grain, supposing the rob 

 to be equally long and large, decisively settles the 

 superiority of farinaceous product. The longest and 

 the thickest cob, if the length of the grain is equal, 

 produces the most corn. The size of the stalk is im- 

 portant, if vegetable matter possesses the hioh value 

 contended for in these essays, and if it is chiefly ex- 

 tracted from the atmosphere. The size of the plant 

 produces some economy of labor, besides augmenting 

 our drafts from the fertiiizing atmospherical treasury, 

 because we can galher far more grain, stalk, blade, 

 top, shuck, and cob in the same time, when the plant 

 is large, than when it is small. I have discovered no 

 good reason for a recent preference of yillow to white 

 corn, except that a foreign fashion causes the former 

 at this juncture to sell b.-^st, nor any benefit from seve- 

 ral trials of planting seed saved from twin ears. In the 

 before mentioned latitude, corn constantly pushes out 

 barren shoots, or more than it can fill with grain, 

 which probably srrve to impoverish such as succeed. 

 If so, there would bo no advantage gained, could we 

 increase their number by planting from twins. 



[Note E. — Page 74S.] 



The mode of raising hogs has continued to attract 

 inj attention, on account of the vast importance it 



derives from its connexion with live fences. If it can 

 supply us with meat, without obstructing an improve- 

 ment, by which the agricultural state of the union 

 would be more benefited tlran by any other, its use- 

 fulness would be great; but if it will also supply us 

 with more meat than the present mode, no legislature 

 will much longer salfer a state to languish under the 

 evil of dead fencing, for the sake of diminishing both 

 me?t and bread. Sensible of the enthusiasm with 

 which human nature embraces all opinions it ardently 

 wishes to realize, I have endeavored in these essays 

 to confine myself to the decisions of experience, and 

 to avoid the delusions of hope. My experience of the 

 recommended mode of raising hogs, has for several 

 years resulted in a far more plentiful supply of pork 

 witiiout purchasing, than I could previously afibrd to 

 obtain by purchasing. It has also as stronglj^ con\inced 

 me, as I can be convinced without an exact expe- 

 riment; that the expense of raising it is reimbursed, 

 or nearly so, by the manure of the hogs ; and that the 

 alternative for public preference, really lies between 

 an expensive and insufiicient supply of pork, accom- 

 panied with dead fences ; and an expenseless and sutfi- 

 cient supply of the same article, accompanied with 

 live. The recommended mode of raising hogs is im- 

 proved, by reserving a sufficient number of breeding 

 sows to insure the dependence upon those under one 

 year old for keeping up the stock ; by separating the 

 large and small hogs in cold weather, to prevent the 

 latter from being smothered ; by increasing the size of 

 a pen for one hundred of difierent ages, to an acre ; by 

 removing it once a fortnight; when the hogs are con- 

 stantly confined, or every tour weeks, when penned 

 of nights only, and instantly ploughing up the ground 

 in liigh five feet and a half ridgf s, to be reversed when 

 cultivated; by soaking corn until it is sour, in a num- 

 ber of barrels suflicient to provide in succession, 

 according to tlie warmth of the season, their chief 

 food in this st^te ; by giving them the sour watf r to 

 drink as each barrel is emptied; by a small allowance 

 of any vef^ctable foodaftcr the pumpkins are expended; 

 (thej^ will eat cornstalks in the early part of the win- 

 ter) by penning them wilhout rings if such food is 

 scarce, on ground well covered with any kind of graps 

 the roots of which will contribute lo their hrallb, 

 whilst they prepare the land for the plough ; and by 

 using them in the same way to eradicate the gailic, 

 than which no food is healthier. 



[Note F.— Pago 749.] 



Since these essays were written, my experiments in 

 cedar hedging have become two or three years older, 

 and have removed every dcubt of ils cheapness, prac- 

 tirabilily and importance. They were cou.menced by 

 planting a single row of cedars en Ihe inside of a fence 

 two feet apart, about eight inches below the Euir;mil 

 of the bank ot a ditch. The eiiois of neglecting to 

 cultivate the 3'oung j)lants, to crop or to mimiiie them, 

 and to plant a second row on the outside ol the fence, 

 were for several years committed. Struggling with 

 hungry rivals for a scanty food, they grew slowly, were 

 meager and spindling. The lower branches began to 

 perish fiom omiltint; to check the jicrpentiicular growth 

 by cropping, and the hope of tiaini:;p; the cedar into 

 a hedge seemed almost desperate. Though the land 

 is generally poor, manuring (a small dressing with 

 bushes excepted) has hitherto been neglected. But 

 topping, clip})!ng the lateral branches, culture, and 

 filling gaps b}' bending into them and covering boughs 

 to take root, leaving out their ends have been imper- 

 fectly practised for two years. Another row of cedars 

 has also been planted on the outside of the fence. The 

 old hedge has been so highly improved by these incon- 

 siderable aids, as to have assumed a handsome appear- 

 ance, and to j)romi8e a speedy exhibition of a laige 

 farm inclosed by a live fence. 



