CROPS AND PROFITS 



are disposed to slight our standard crop of 

 maize. They do not understand it. They fail 

 of making a creditable show in comparison 

 with the old-school native farmers, who, by 

 dint of long experience, have acquired the habit 

 (rather habit than capacity) of making a mod- 

 erate crop of corn with the least possible 

 amount of tillage and of skill. To turn over a 

 firm grass sward, and plant directly upon the 

 inverted turf, without harrowing, or ridging, 

 or drilling, is contrary to all the old-country 

 traditions. 



And yet the fact is notorious, that some of 

 the best corn crops (I do not speak now of 

 exceptional and premium crops), are grown 

 in precisely this primitive way; given a good 

 sod, and a good top-dressing turned under — 

 with, perhaps, a little dash of superphosphate 

 upon the hills to quicken germination, and 

 give vigorous start, — and the New England 

 farmer, if he give clean and thorough culture 

 — which, under such circumstances, involves 

 little labor — can count upon his forty or fifty 

 bushels of sound corn to the acre. And the 

 Scotchman or Englishman may tear the sod, 

 or ridge the field, or drill it, or torment it as 

 he will, before planting, and the chances are, 

 he will reap, with the same amount of fertil- 



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