AGRICULTURE. 465 



plants thus cultivated are mostly grains, esculent roots, and grasses, 

 for the food of men and domestic animals ; or flax, hemp, cotton, 

 and other plants, useful in the arts. The production of fruits and 

 garden vegetables is reserved for the succeeding branch of Chreo- 

 technics. Grains, including wheat, rye, barley, and oats, are culti- 

 vated by ploughing, manuring, and harrowing the ground ; then 

 sowing the seed broadcast, that is, scattered over the whole surface, 

 and slightly covering it with the harrow ; after which no farther labor 

 is required till the harvesting; when the ripe grain is cut with the 

 sickle or cradle, bound in bundles, and stored till perfectly dry ; then 

 separated from the straw or culm, by threshing and winnowing. 

 Similar to this, is the cultivation of rice, in the wet lands of our 

 southern states. Maize or Indian corn, and potatoes, are planted 

 in hills, or rows, usually three or four feet apart : and they require 

 repeated, hoeings, to subdue the weeds and accumulate the earth 

 around the roots. The top stalks of maize, should not be cut until 

 the kernels are formed in the ears ; otherwise the plants would be 

 unfruitful. The field, or common turnip, may be raised by scatter- 

 ing and covering the seed, in ground well tilled, without farther cul- 

 tivation. 



The grasses most cultivated in our country, are clover, herd's 

 grass, red top, and furze top, succeeding each other in soils which 

 have been previously tilled. Herd's grass, or timothy, grows well 

 in stiff clayey soils : orchard grass is best suited for dry soils ; and 

 foul meadow grass answers well for soils which are wet. Grass, 

 after being mowed, is spread to dry, and thus converted into hay, 

 which is then raked together and secured in stacks or barns. Flax 

 and hemp, are sown broadcast ; and require no farther tillage ; but, 

 when mature, they are pulled by the roots, and subjected to the pro- 

 cess of .rotting, to remove the woody parts from the fibrous coating, 

 Cotton, is planted in rows, and weeded at intervals ; and the pods 

 are picked, from time to time, as they ripen. Tobacco, is first sown 

 in beds ; and afterwards transplanted, in rows,, for tillage : and the 

 leaves are gathered when sufficiently mature. The sugar cane, is 

 cultivated like maize ; and sugar is obtained from the expressed juice 

 of the green stalks. 



5. The Rearing of Domestic Animals, is chiefly confined, in 

 our own country, to horses, cattle, sheep, and swine ; which are col- 

 lectively termed, by farmers, live stock. There are various breeds 

 of horses ; of which the Arabian is the fleetest ; but those of colder 

 climates, as the Dutch, and Scotch, are more hardy, and better for 

 draught. Horses require careful treatment, as they are subject to^ 

 various diseases ; the cure of which belongs to Farriery, or the 

 Veterinary Art, thus connected with the pursuits of the farmer. 

 Some of these diseases are caused by the animal taking cold, after 

 being overheated ; by which the lungs especially are injured : and 

 the disease called the bots, is caused by the horse swallowing the 

 eggs deposited by flies upon his hair; the larvae produced from 

 which, gnaw through the stomach. The blacksmith, who practises 

 shoeing horses, often acquires a knowledge of Farriery. 



There are also various breeds of cattle ; as the Dutch, or short 

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