On Indian Corn, Potatoes, SsV. 321 



and banded with the stalks, preserves the fodder bet- 

 ter than stacking, wliere the moisture accumulated in 

 the stalks, introduces mould: much labour will be 

 saved by setting up the corn in the field where it was 

 grown, if the fields are not cultivated, until the ensu* 

 ing spring, in that case the difference in labour, com- 

 pared with topping and stripping, will be still far great- 

 er. Hilling at any time is destructive, it cuts and con- 

 fines the roots within a narrow compass, and turns off 

 the rains ; exhausts the plants by compelling them to 

 form fresh sets of roots, at the expense of those alrea- 

 dy established, converting the prop roots into common 

 roots, and forming other prop roots from the joints 

 above, which seldom get established in time to sup- 

 port the plants. 



I should have mentioned before, that a grass lay is 

 more especially necessary for corn, when it is planted 

 on a fiat retentive soil ; for unless the ground is very 

 much disposed to wet, it will preclude the necessity of 

 ridging, and the lay forms a tough surface for hauling* 

 the manure, which eases the draught. Each furrow- 

 slice forms an effectual underdrain, more especially if 

 the field has not been pastured or mown in the fall, 

 and the furrow-slice is only moderately compressed 

 with the roller, and if a man with a shovel and mattock, 

 follows in the furrows, leveling the heights, removing 

 such roots, stones, Sec. as will obstruct the course of 

 the water, forming cuts across the hea.d lands, at con- 

 venient distances, for its escape. Tens of thousands of 

 wheat, and other grain fields, are annually injured to 

 an immense extent, through inattention, or to savg 

 this trivial labour. The water is stopped in the fields 

 VOL. m, s s 



