15 



farm in North field in this county has been for years not less 

 than seventy bushels to the acre. 



The mode of managing and harvesting Indian corn is a sub- 

 ject deserving of attention. A diversity of practice prevails in 

 this as well as in other parts of the country. The custom of 

 making hills, that is, raising the ground in a conical form round 

 the plant, is well-nigh abandoned. Many go so far as to half- 

 hill it, but many cultivate it upon an entirely flat surface. My 

 own experience has taught me, that no advantage comes from 

 hilling the corn at all, even in respect to that point which was 

 mainly designed to be accomplished by this practice — that of 

 keeping the corn in an upright position and preventing its being 

 blown down. When the surface is flat, the corn may be blown 

 down ; but it is more likely to rise again than if it were hilled, 

 as, in the latter case, the hill operates as a fulcrum over which 

 the stalk, in bending, is broken. The roots are the natural 

 supporters of the stalk, and plants spontaneously accommodate 

 themselves to their condition. On a flat surface they throw 

 out more and stronger lateral roots than where the corn is hill- 

 ed. The crop is cultivated now with a cultivator or triangular 

 harrow with pointed or duck feet instead of the plough, which 

 was formerly used. The cultivation of corn cannot be too 

 cleanly ; but it is advisable not to go in among it with a plough 

 or harrow after the grain has begun to be formed. Before that 

 time, I am satisfied that the ground cannot be kept too loose 

 between the rows. 



The subject of topping the stalks has been much discussed ; 

 and its inexpediency may be considered as settled. A Pennsyl- 

 vania farmer, highly intelligent and observing, made an exper- 

 iment with a view accurately to test this point. Taking three 

 equal rows in the same field, topping two and leaving one un- 

 topped, the result was as follows : — 



" Produce of the row which had not been topped, nine bush- 

 els and five eighths of corn in the ear. 



" One of the rows which had been topped and stripped, — 

 that is, the blades of the plant taken off, — measured seven 



