196 quarterly journal. 



Agricultural productions, and modes of cultivation. 



All the ordinary cultivated vegetables grow vi^ell here ; but we 

 will first speak of maize. The seed is generally planted by the 

 middle of May. The best farmers prefer, and we think with reason, 

 to get the crop planted as soon as possible in the spring ; for should 

 a frost nip the young leaves, the plants will be retarded a little, but 

 will grow and spread their roots beneath the soil, though they may 

 apparently make but little progress at first. Some say, however, that 

 you had better wait till the weather is warm, and frosts no longer 

 threaten ; for they have seen late-planted corn spring up at once, 

 and overtake the early planted which has borne the bulTetings of a 

 squally spring. Yet the soundness of this course does not appear ; 

 for the early planted corn is also the earliest in ripening, and stands 

 the best chance to escape early frosts in autumn, which is a matter 

 of far greater consequence ; besides, it is not so liable to be injured 

 by drought. Let it then be planted as early as possible, that it may 

 escape the frosts of September, and also so shade the ground in July 

 that it may protect itself from drought. Whoever observes, will find 

 that the months of July and August make or unmake the crop of 

 corn ; that however untoward the weather of June may be, if only 

 that of July and August are favorable, corn will ripen. Some far- 

 mers, if not most of them, plant their corn on sward which has been 

 ploughed up the preceding fall. If the soil is rather sandy, the fur- 

 row is turned flat, and afterwards harrowed only lightly, so as not 

 to break in upon the furrow : this mode stands drought belter than 

 if the furrow be oblique. Before planting, it is customary to wet the 

 seed and roll it in plaster (this is an old method) ; and then after- 

 ward, say at the first hoeing, apply a table spoonful of plaster to 

 each hill. Ashes are in high esteem : a single handful, cast around 

 the hill of corn just before rain, produces great effects. It is agreed 

 by all farmers, too, that the soil must be stirred, hoed or harrowed ; 

 nevertheless .great care is requisite in these operations not to disturb 

 the roots. The best farmers cut up the whole hill, in harvesting corn, 

 with a sickle. This operation, near the Hudson river, is performed 

 about the tenth of September. By this mode, more fodder is saved 

 for milch cows. It has become an established rule now, in selecting, 

 seed corn, to select the first that is ripe. 



