16 



bushels and six eighths; and the other, topped and stripped, 

 measured seven bushels and three eighths of corn in the ear. 

 Thus it clearly appears that mutilating the corn plant before its 

 fruit is jDerfected, is a very injurious practice." 



The experiment of Josiah (iuincy, of Quincy, Norfolk coun- 

 ty, was to the same effect. This was upon carrots, and 1 shall 

 give the account in his own words : — 



" It was stated confidently, by some English writer on the 

 cultivation of carrots, that the tops might be cut early for the 

 purpose of feeding cattle which were soiled, not only without 

 injury, but even with benefit, to the roots, which, it was said, 

 would in this way grow larger. Mr. Q^uincy took twenty-six 

 beds of carrots in the same field and of the same size, with a 

 view of fully testing these statements ; and in the month of 

 July, when the lower leaves first began to wither, he caused 

 every other bed to be cut as directed, being careful not to crop 

 the crown or the head of the root — so that there was a cut to 

 an uncut bed alternately through the whole piece. They were 

 gathered, and the roots measured carefully, on the 20th Octo- 

 ber, The total product of the uncut beds was 104J bushels : 

 the total product of the cut beds was 58 bushels. Judging by 

 the eye, the size of the roots of the cut bed was nearly two 

 thirds less than that of the uncut bed." 



But the question may be considered as put to rest by the ex- 

 periment of William Clark, Jun. of Northampton, Hampshire 

 county. The experiment was conducted with much care and 

 intelligence ; and, omitting several of the details, 1 shall give 

 only the results : — 



Row No. 2, on which the experiment was commenced, was 

 as follows, viz : 



46 hills on which the stalks had not been cut, gave 42 lbs. 8 oz. 



dry shelled corn, equal per acre to . . bs. 60, 8 lbs. 



46 hills from which the stalks had been cut, gave 33 lbs. 7 oz. 



dry shelled corn equal per acre to . . bs. 47, IS lbs. 



The loss by cutting the stalks per acre, was 12 bs. 46 lbs. 



