1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMEE. 



277 



spoonful of this mixture, and a block is placed favorite aliment— yet it possesses a greater power 



, ^ XI r, 1 J 1 • „ lUfU +iio'than most of assirailatino' the different manures 



near each tree, the bored end lyine; a little the ^""^';' ^"^^ "^ . o . „ i • u •*. 



' . , ,, , ,1 to its use. Hence m a series of crops to -which it 



lowest, to keep out rain ; the blocks are covered .^ jegjj.aljlc to apply large quantities of the coarsest 

 with boards, some two feet or so long, and of jj^^nures, it is the best which can be chosen to re- 

 suitable width ; and the mice, on approaching a'ccive them. To restore worn out lands to a high 

 tree, run under the board for shelter, eat of the I state of fertility by this means, and yet to_ pro- 

 ,, J 1 1 •,. 1 ,, .„„„ „„.„_,„£, I duce constant returns, give a large application of 



ratsbane and meal, and die, and the tree escapesj ^^^^^^ ^^tevM, ph'uTt to command follow with 

 uninjured. I examined many of Mr. time sL^^^ ^^gg^j. g^^^j^g ^^^^^ ^.lQ^g^^_,^ (.0^.^^^,^-^^^ ^^j^^^^ 

 tr-^es, to see how the plan worked, and in no case Sjy our most enterprising and intelligent farmers. 



discovered any injury to the bark by mice. 



F. HOLBROOK. 



Braitlcboro\ April 25, 1855. 



SCATTEE YE SEEDS. 



Scatter ye seeds, and flowers will spring; 



Strew them at broadcast o'er hill and glen; 

 Sow in your garden, and time will bring 



Bright flowers, with seeds to scatter again. 



Scatter ye seeds — nor think them lost. 



Though they fall amid leaves and are buried in earth ; 

 Spring will awake them, though heedlessly tossed, 



And to beautiful flowers those seeds will give birth. 



Scatter ye seeds ; tire not, but toil ; 



'Tis the work of life, 'tis the labor of man ; 

 In the head, in the heart, and on earth's own soil. 



Sow, gather and sow, through life's own span. 



Scatter ye seeds in the field of mind — 



Seeds of flowers, with seeds of grain; 

 In the spring and summer, sweet garlands ye'U find, 



And In autumn ye'll reap rich fruits for your pain. 



Scatter ye seeds in the garden of heart. 



Seeds of affection, of truth, and of love ; 

 Cultivate carefully each hidden part, 



And thy flowers will be seen by angels above. 



Scatter ye seeds — the seeds of Hope ; 



Plant in your bosom the Tree of Life — 

 Then the flowers here budding in Heaven shall ope. 



And in Heaven will ripen the fruits of strife. 



Then scatter ye seeds each passing year ; 



Sow amid winds and storms of rain — 

 Hope give thee courage. Faith cast out fear, 



God will requite thee with infinite gain. 



INDIAN COIIN----ITS CULTURE. 



In those sections of our country adapted to its 

 production, (and they cover almost its whole 

 area,) Indian corn is one of the most remunerat- 

 ing crops which can be grown, and each year 

 adds to its importance in the eyes of farmers. 

 The large use wliichmay be made of this produce 

 in feeding and fattening animals, and also for hu- 

 man food, renders it an article of much value for 

 consumption, on the fiirm, and the demands of 

 both foreign and home markets arc such that any 

 surplus may always be disposed of at remunerat- 

 ing prices. As a uniform rule, the product per acres 

 is more in proportion with the care used in the 

 preparation of the soil, the planting, and culture, 

 than most other grains — the crop being less liable 

 to blights or diseases, and the attacks of insects. 

 No plant repays more richly an abundant sup- 

 ply of manure. On a suitable soil — witli climate 

 to match, — its growth is large, rapid, and healthy, 

 and it is a gross feeder, seldom injurious]}' aflV-cted 

 by the quality or quantity of t!ic fertilizers ap 

 plied. Though corn, like otlier plants, has its 



It is impossible to mark out a plan of procedure 

 adapted to the wants and circumstances of all 

 who will plant corn, — l^ut from the course which 

 one pursues successfully many others can gather 

 hints which they can adapt to their own use with 

 profit. Sward ground or clover leys are almost 

 universally employed for raising corn ; — let us 

 speak of their preparation for that purpose, and 

 the after-management of the crop. 



Apply, during the present month, from thirty 

 to fifty two-horse loads of barn-yard manure to 

 the sward land intended for corn, and plow it 

 under as soon as may be, as neatly and perfectly 

 as possible, and at least eight or nine inches 

 deep. If the manure is rather coarse, it is more 

 important that the plowing be well done, so as to 

 cover it well, and thus ensure its speedy decay. 

 Then, with a good harrow or cultivator, or bet- 

 ter — a gang plow — reduce the surface to as fine 

 tilth as it can be without disturbing the sod. 

 jNIark out the rows about three and one-half feet 

 apart, if it is to be phinted by hand, which, un- 

 less one has a machine which will give rows both 

 ways, is the best for small fields. 



Plant according to the weather — the first half 

 of May used to be the time — and when the corn 

 is up so that it can be seen readily, pass througli 

 with a one-horse cultivator, and then dress M'itli 

 a mixture of ashes, plaster and salt — a handful 

 to each hill. In a few days cultivate again and 

 dress carefully with the hoe, leaving four or five 

 plants to each hill ; and keep the soil, by fre- 

 quent harrowing and hoeing, light and clear as 

 long as the size of the corn will admit of the pas- 

 sage of the horse and cultivator between the 

 rows. And, throughout the season, allow no 

 weeds to steal the fertility of the land and rob the 

 present and future crops of the nutriment properly 

 their due. It is astonishing how much effect can 

 be produced by mere culture, even with a small 

 application of manure. A fine deep, oft-stirred 

 soil, seems to have resources in itself, or to gather 

 them from the air and rain, which a hard, half- 

 tilled soil knows nothing about. 



All experience and experiment go to show that 

 a rich, deep soil (naturally or artificially so) and 

 thorough culture, are, more than any thing else, 

 the great requisites for raising a groat crop of 

 Indian corn. The variety must bo suited to the 

 locality — our short summers needing a kind that 

 grows rapidly and matures early, wliile South 

 and West the larger and coarser kinds are more 

 productive. (And, we may add, that this article 

 will scarcely apply to other than Nortliern local- 

 ities.) A Avoll-draincd loam is, perhaps, the most 

 congenial soil for the corn crop. It will not 

 flourisli upon sour, wet land, nor will the ma- 

 nures it requires there produce tlic effect desired. 

 If, also, tlie soil be deep and frequently worked, 

 drought and its opposite have mucli less effect on 



