Notices for a Young Farmer. xi 



be diligently used. Pulverize your ground, and the plant 

 will be nourished and supported by the length and vigour of 

 multiplied roots ; and never require hills, or elevated furrows. 



It being the intent of these Notices, to recommend, not to 

 dictate; it is deemed proper to mention, that Col. Taylor, of 

 Virginia, (and his practice is followed by many southern 

 farmers,) pursues a mode of cropping with Indian Corn, di- 

 rectly the reverse of the one herein recommended ; and an 

 account of it may be seen in his drator. He breaks up, how- 

 ever, deep ; lays his fields in high ridges ; — possibly, his soil 

 and surface may so require, — in a north and south direction ; 

 burying his coarse, (corn-stalk) manure, to rot in his soil ; 

 and in succeeding Corn crops, after a lapse of some years, 

 the rows are planted over the former deep furrows ; the 

 crowns of the new ridges, occupying the places of those fur- 

 rows. Many pursue his practice, and speak favourably of it, 

 To us, who prefer laying our fields level, for the scythe and 

 grazing, this mode would not be eligible. It may in some 

 soils, as it regards the culture of the Corn crop merely, have 

 its advantages. It resembles in some particulars, Mr. Gregg 9 s 

 practice, on a wet heavy soil, mentioned in our 2d. volume. 

 Col. Taylor's plan may be seen in his Essays on the subject. 

 In this mode deep ploughing is essential ; and it is as much 

 so in the level culture ; for, with shallow ploughing, moisture 

 would soon evaporate ; though not so much as if ridged, and 

 a greater surface exposed to drain and dry. Many who pre- 

 fer ploughing in grain, lay their fields in broad lands, and 

 harrow, after ploughing in. 



Wheresoever the harrow has been fairly tried, its advan- 

 tages over the plough, in the Corn crop, have been decisively 

 shewn. Corn in drills, on a sod deeply ploughed in, the 

 rows 4 feet apart, and the plants 18 inches asunder, and 

 thereafter entirely cultivated with harrows, has produced 

 crops, beyond the belief of those wedded to the old mode of 

 culture. Some have found great advantages in the culture 

 of Corn in wide rows ; and potatoes, well manured, drilled 

 between them. 



