496 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[Ne. 8 



thought proper, "it being a privilege," to offer a 

 few remarks on the growth and culture of Indian 

 corn, that may perhaps be novel to some of your 

 readers; I offer as my apology, the pleasure that 

 has often been realized from reading your journal, 

 and gratitude prompts me to attempt some feeble 

 return. 



No species of literature affords more useful in- 

 struction, than that which leads to the knowledge 

 of extracting from the soil, in the most easy and 

 abundant manner, the best food for man and beast, 

 and which shall leave it in the best situation for 

 similar returns; and no grain more imperiously de- 

 mands the notice of the agriculturist, than that 

 which is best suited to his various demands, in 

 sustaining health and life, and in suiting itself to 

 the various kinds of stock which are indispen- 

 sable for his support and comfort. Then may not 

 Indian corn be justly called the "Jaquin and Boaz" 

 of the farmer's support; for there is no crop so well 

 suited to his wants, his interests, or his conve- 

 nience — none less capricious or uncertain in its re- 

 turns for labor — none better adapted to the various 

 kinds of soil and climate that surround him — none 

 less choice in its selection of (bod for support — nor 

 more profitable and fruitful in its returns — but like 

 all other crops, its products may be increased or 

 diminished, according to the mode of cultivation. 

 Though every tiller of the soil in our country is 

 a cultivator of corn, and though it forms the larger 

 part of his crop, still the proper mode of cultiva- 

 tion is so little known, and the little known, is as 

 much disputed, as any other agricultural question 

 that can be named. Is it not much to be lament- 

 ed, that a grain in every way so well suited to our 

 needs, so easily and surely raised, and so ancient 

 of use, should be so little understood, as to the 

 most suitable way of cultivation? Must we adopt 

 the idea, so long discarded, "that man is not fond 

 of novelty, change, or experiment;" or that agri- 

 cultural wisdom has been purchased at too dear 

 a price — having either by it, suffered ourselves, or 

 seen others suffer severely, by hastily adopting no- 

 vel plans of improvement, which had nothing to 

 recommend them but the loud and extravagant 

 praises of the propagators? Often we suffer our- 

 selves to become prejudiced against a change in 

 conducting any concern of life, and obstinately 

 persist in old practices, merely because a trial has 

 been made of them, although constanffy witness- 

 ing and acknowledging their defects, rather than 

 expose ourselves to the hazard of failure. If we 

 are travelling the old beaten path of our ancestors, 

 or pursuing the same course with our neighbors, 

 we rest satisfied with the result, be it small or 

 great, without, for a moment, making the inquiry 

 whether, by substituting some other mode in lieu 

 of our own, the quantum raised would not be in- 

 creased, and the labor lessened. Or, should a 

 failure take place, which would be by no means a 

 novelty, it is never attributed to mismanagement 

 in culture, but invariably to the unsuitableness of 

 the season. It is a common saying among Vir- 

 ginia farmers, should their corn crops come in 

 light, "that there was either too much rain, or 

 drought," whilst the fact was notorious, that some 

 of their near neighbors, had a heavy and plentiful 

 harvest. 



There are two prominent systems common 

 with us, for the cultivation of corn. The drill sys- 

 tem, of which Col. Taylor, late of Caroline, is 



justly the author; and another system more an- 

 cient, that of the cross-ploughing — but in either, 

 the adherents vary in many particulars, but in none, 

 very essentially. The former requires less plough- 

 ing and more hand hoeing — whilst the latter re- 

 quires more ploughing and less hand hoeing; but 

 their dissimilarity is not confined alone to these 

 peculiarities; for the theory upon which their indi- 

 vidual modes of cultivation are based, is essentially 

 different. Is it not a palpable absurdity to suppose 

 that both systems can be best under any circum- 

 stances? For the one supposes it an injury to the 

 growing plant to cut its roots — whilst the other 

 supposes it a benefit. Both of these systems, 

 founded upon such opposite theories, cannot be 

 correct; for if it be detrimental to the plant at eve- 

 ry stage of its growth, to break its roots, then the 

 cross-ploughing system must inevitably be the 

 worst; but if the breaking of roots be no injury, 

 but a benefit, then the drill system cannot, be the 

 best. But I am disposed to favor the supposition, 

 that the breaking the roots that fasten on, or near 

 the surface of the soil, is not an injury, but a bene- 

 fit; for so soon as the}' are broken, an innumerable 

 quantity of young fibres are thrown out, which 

 fasten in new soil, and consequently, the quan- 

 tity of sap is increased, because the number of ab- 

 sorbent vessels are increased. Again: the fact is 

 obvious, that the simply running a light iron-tooth 

 harrow over all kinds of small grain, is of infinite 

 service to it — (in the spring season of the year.) 

 Now, how can the fact be accounted for, upon phi- 

 losophical principles, if the supposition is discarded, 

 that it is not a benefit to break the roots of grow- 

 ing plants? If the appearance of a field of small 

 grain, immediately after the operation, was to be 

 the criterion by which its effects was to be tested, 

 no farmer in his senses could admit it in any way 

 beneficial — for to all appearance, a more rash 

 operation could not be performed. But the fact is 

 clear and undeniable, that it is productive of the 

 happiest effect. I know not how. in any possi- 

 ble manner, to account for the circumstance, if this 

 idea be taken away from me — for if it be an injury 

 to break the roots of corn, or any other grain, it is 

 to me surprising, how the adherents of the cross- 

 ploughing system should make even half crops, 

 or that it does not inevitably ruin any small grain 

 crop, over which an iron-tooth harrow is dragged. 

 The advantages of this, the cross-ploughing syr- 

 tem, over the drill, have been strikingly verified in 

 this neighborhood, and fair and ample opportuni- 

 ties have been offered, in testing the comparative 

 superiority of one over the other; for until the last 

 three years, there was not a farmer of any celeb- 

 rity among us, but who strictly pursued the course 

 recommended by the "justly high famed farmer of 

 Caroline," and verily believed it best; until an in- 

 dustrious and enterprizing Kastern Shore farmer 

 settled among us, on very poor land, and com- 

 menced his plan of cultivating Indian corn. The 

 labor-saving system which he rigidly pursued, and 

 the fine appearance of his crop, created at that time, 

 considerable excitement in the neighborhood. 

 Fame having borne the exalted superiority of his 

 crop over that of his neighbors, on land of like 

 character, among the many that went to see for 

 themselves, I, like the queen of Sheba, determin- 

 ed to see in person. It is true the half had been 

 told me — for the novelty of his plan gave no lati- 

 tude to exaggeration, but I was truly surprised to 





