308 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



But to return once more to Mr. Hall and his management. Being at the time 

 of this first call " belated," and yet wishing not to indulge an idle and imperti- 

 nent curiosity, but catering with honest intent for that which is our chief care — 

 information or amusement for our readers — we excused ourselves from staying 

 for supper, saying to the good lady of the house that, if she could promise a glass 

 of fresh buttermilk, we would ask the favor to have a seat at her breakfast-table 

 the next morning. The promise was graciously made, the hour announced, and 

 so we departed. 



True to our engagement (arid not forgetful of the buttermilk^, the next morn 

 ing found us seated at the table — and with whom, does the reader suppose ? — 

 Mr. Hall and his wife and children, with servants in attendance to fetch and 

 carry, and laborers eating or waiting in an out-house ? Not at all. There were 

 the husband, the wife, and several laboring young men, who had milked the 

 cows, and were busy with other work until after breakfast, when they should 

 all, with the boss in the lead, repair to the fields for the regular labors of the day. 

 A most substantial breakfast, too good for tyrant kings and no less tyrannical 

 demagogues, had been all at once placed before us, to be partaken of at once and 

 equally by every one whose labor contributed to the products of the farm. The 

 *' help" in attendance consisted of one young woman, who had assisted to cook 

 what she served up. The laboring young men were in their working-clothes, 

 and their deportment marked by that discretion and good temper, and their ap- 

 pearance indicating a degree of physical energy, which were all calculated to in- 

 sure harmony in the social circle, and success to the labors of the farm. Of what 

 that labor produces, and the system on which it is conducted, we have now to 

 speak — not, as before stated, systematically, but as the facts came to light in the 

 course of unstudied inquiry and impromptu answers. 



About one-half of the 50 acres kept under the plow is in " hoed crops," chiefly 

 corn, pumpkins and potatoes. For these his practice is to plow his land in au- 

 tumn and spring, according as he can get time ; but, to an inquiry on that point, 

 jie answered that he was of opinion that the nearer the plowing should be to the 

 ^planting time, the belter. The relative advantage of fall and spring plowing 

 "pr-esents to the inquiring agriculturist, it may here be remarked, an interesting 

 question. Much in this case depends, no doubt, on "the previous crop and con- 

 dition of the land, and on the climate. But we must avoid farther episodes. — 

 Mr. H. plants his corn only three feet each way, and six or seven grains in a hill, 

 counting on five or six to " stand," and, if the land is rich, to average an ear 

 for each stalk. In this may be found one of the mysteries how it is that such 

 heavy crops of Indian corn, from 80 to 100 bushels— premium crops — are gath- 

 lercd from land in this northern climate, considered to be comparatively uncon- 

 ■genial to the constitution of that noble plant. Hills at 3 feet apart give 4,840 

 :to the acre, and 5 ears to the hill give 24,200 ears. The reason that it bears to 

 'be thus thickly planted is, that it does not grow to more than half the hight 

 of southern corn. Nature seems to have provided for the drier climate of the 

 South a plant with more leaf to imbibe the dew and rain, and, if planted as 

 thick as at the North, it would not produce half a crop. The pollen could not 

 fall upon the silk to impregnate the car. The much vaunted " Duttoji corn''^ 

 proved a failure in the South. Behold another digression ! 



If it be sward laud, designed for corn, Mr. H. plows it but once. The sward 

 is inverted, and the top of it so inverted left undisturbed through the season > 

 swhile the soil which, by inversion, is brought to the tup, is afterward worked 



(G41; 



