290 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



" Indian corn is a gross feeder, and will send its roots through 

 " the sod and down below it to a great depth, unless the subsoil 

 " is so hard they cannot penetrate it. As the grass roots decay 

 '' they furnish food to this wonderful plant. I say wonderful, 

 *' for in about one hundred days an immense crop of stalks, and 

 " perhaps 3,000 pounds of the richest grain (second only in its 

 " fattening powers to flaxseed) will be produced. 



" When the crop is sufficiently ripened, it should be cut near 

 *' the ground, and put in ' stooks' to cure ; and no cattle should 

 " be allowed to tramp over the field in the late autumn or early 

 " winter, to make tracks in and puddle the soil. In warm cli- 

 ^' mates, where the larger varieties of corn are raised, this process 

 " of harvesting cannot be adopted, and on sandy or other loose 

 ''soils it is not so important to keep cattle off the field. 



'"''Fourth Tear. — Barley or oats are sown on the corn-stubble, 

 '' the ground being plowed but once, but that one plowing being 

 " done perfectly, after the ground has properly dried in the spring, 

 " cutting narrow, deep furrows. 



" Some farmers entertain the opinion that barley is the best 

 " crop to precede wheat. If the ground is clean, that is, free 

 " from Canada thistles and other bad weeds, it is ; but if the 

 " ground is not in first-rate condition in this respect, oats are 

 " better. 



" Barley must be sown early to warrant the expectation of a 

 " good crop. Oats should be sown two weeks or so later than 

 '' barley. By sowing an oat crop late, time is given for the 

 " thistles and other foul stuffs to commence growing, and make 

 " quite a show above the ground before the plowing ; then a 

 " perfect plowing does much for their extirpation, and the warm 

 " weather, that at that time of the season may be reasonably 

 '' expected, will force the oat crop forward, and give it greatly 

 " the start of the weeds, and thus the crop will out-top and keep 

 " under these pests. Another consideration is the character of 

 " the soil, in deciding whether barley or oats shall be selected for 

 " the crop of the fourth year. Barley delights in a clay soil, and 

 " but rarely does well on a quick sandy soil. 



