Corn Grubs, or Cut Worms, Fall Ploughing. 93 



remnants of the sod which was, in a great proportion, rotted ; and 

 all of it so decayed as to be incapable of vegetation. 



Many replant Indian corn unnecessarily. If the plant be cut off only 

 above the surface, it will, nevertheless grow vigorously. The yellow 

 corn is infinitely better this season, than the gourd-seed ; which 

 has been the most affected by the misfortunes occurring to oitr 

 crops. The unripe corn, of every description, has been found nei- 

 ther nutritive nor salutary to any kind of our domestic animals. 



As to the rotting or decaying, and extinguishing all power of ve- 

 getation, in the sod treated in the manner I have often described; 

 leaving the soil filled with dead and inert vegetable matter, to be 

 operated on by lime, plaster, and such substances ; I have had, 

 among many preceding proofs, a strong instance, this last season. 

 It was viewed and approved by many persons, and its cleanliness 

 and freedom from all noxious vegetation of grass or weed*, much 

 noticed. I never meant to say that the mere operation of fall-plough» 

 ing, would complete the process required, The field must be kept 

 clean, through the succeeding season, by being superficially stirred 

 with hoe and common harrows, in preference to the plough ; as I 

 have noticed in our II. Vol. Without this, I am well aware ; that 

 grass and weeds will grow, in a greater or less degree ; but much 

 less after fall, than spring ploughing ; if the fall-fallow be treated 

 in the manner I have mentioned : although I know, that many, judg- 

 ing from local qualities of soil, or imperfect essays, hold a contrary 

 opinion. If the sod be not turned by the plough, its tenacity will be 

 destroyed by the fermentation or decay of the vegetable matter and 

 this I call decomposition ; though it may not amount tointire putre- 

 faction. To aid and promote this, I cut my sod of last season, in 

 the spring, with the coulters, and dressed the surface with the hoes 

 of that excellent implement described (III. Vol. of our Memoirs) 

 by general Steele ; who was so obliging us to procure one to be made 

 for me. He prefers spring ploughing, for cleaning his fallow ; and as 

 /do not, I presume the soils I have long cultivated differ in their 

 W qualities and texture, from those he tills. But if his experience in 

 this regard, were more generally acquiesced in ; the advantages 

 of fall-ploughing in preventing injuries by the grub, would give 

 to it a decided preference. R, P, 



February 6th, 1817, 



