17 



The four rows taken together, stand as follows : 



No. 1 and 4, on which no stalks were cut, gave an average 

 per acre of . . . . 60 bs. 8 lbs. 



No. 2 and 3, from which half the stalks were cut, gave an 

 average per acre of . . .54 bs. 25^ lbs. 



Loss by cutting half the stalks per acre, 5 bs. 38J lbs. 



or cutting all the stalks would make a loss equal 

 per acre to .... libs. 21 lbs. 



The difference in the result of the two cases is 1 bs. 25 lbs. 

 per acre ; or in the two experiments, if it may be so termed, 

 there is an average loss by cutting the stalks, of 12 bs. 3i lbs. 

 per acre, a loss quite equal to all the expense of hoeing and 

 harvesting. Mr. Clark adds, " if this experiment is a fair 

 test, it seems that about twenty per cent, or one fifth part of 

 the crop is destroyed by cutting the stalks in the way they are 

 usually cut.*' Another exact farmer in Conway has made a 

 similar experiment in reference to this very point. By a careful 

 measurement he states that the difference between cutting the 

 stalks at the customary time or leaving them uncut until after 

 the corn is ripened was eight bushels per acre in favor of the 

 latter practice. 



Mr. Clark advances another opinion, which is quite conform- 

 able to my own and to the experience of many other farmers. 

 " This twenty per cent, is not saved at the expense of losing 

 the stalks ; they are worth as much, audi think more, all things 

 considered, after the corn is harvested, than they are when 

 gathered in the usual way. If, after being bunched up in a 

 green state, they heat or become mouWy, (a case of frequent 

 occurrence,) they are utterly worthless, except it be for manure ; 

 I know of no animal that will eat them. But after they have 

 once been dried by the sun and wind, a subsequent moderate 

 degree of mouldiness, seems to be no injury." This conforms 

 to the opinion of one of the best farmers in Northfield, Frank- 

 lin CO., who is in the habit of gathering his corn and then cut- 

 ting up the stalks at the ground. 



The mode of harvesting Indian corn is of considerable im- 

 3 



