No. 11. 



Corn. — Change of Crops. 



351 



red on the plantation States a benefit that 

 can scarcely be estimated in money, was re 

 warded by South Carolina, North Carolina, 

 and Tennessee only. The first appropriated 

 $50,000 for the use of his invention within 

 her limits; the second laid a tax for five 

 years of 2s. 6d. upon every saw in every 

 gin that was mounted within its jurisdic- 

 tion ; and the last imposed a tax of 37^ cts 

 upon every saw, to be continued for four 

 years. Notwithstanding these liberal legis- 

 lative acts, the inventor derived no pecuni 

 ary benefit from his gin. He expended the 

 whole amount received from South Carolina 

 — from the other States he received a mere 

 pittance — in defending himself against arbi' 

 trary and vexatious suits, and in prosecu- 

 tions for violations of his patent right. Over 

 the grave of this distinguished benefactor of 

 the human race, a monument is erected, 

 with this simple but expressive inscription, 

 "The inventor of the saw-gin." — Seabrook^s 

 Memoir on the Cotton Plant. 



Corn— -Change of Crops. 



Corn seems to need change of soil less 

 than any other of the great crops ; and the 

 many cases of success with which it has 

 been raised for many years in succession on 

 the same fertile field, have been trium- 

 phantly adduced by the opposers of rota- 

 tion, as a certain and manifest proof that a 

 change of crop is not necessary. Even if 

 this were true, as to this particular plant, it 

 would not affect the general question. The 

 hardiness and vigor of the corn plant on a 

 fine soil, may enable it to withstand the 

 depredations of some of the several tribes 

 of insects which it breeds and nourishes; 

 and others — as the cut-worm, so fatal in 

 other circumstances — may be destroyed by 

 the continued tillage and naked and open 

 state of the soil. But thouo-h, by such or 

 other means, land may continue to produce 

 corn in long succession, much better than 

 other crops so continued, still this is not 

 even an exception to the general rule of 

 the necessity for rotation. On the rich al- 

 luvial low grounds, subject more or less to 

 freshes, where corn is usually the sole and 

 annually recurring crop, it is true that heavy 

 growths continue to be raised. But it is 

 said, that in the most favourable seasons, 

 there is a considerable proportion of rotten 

 grain, even when not exposed to, or injured 

 by water. These entirely rotten ears are 

 often among the largest, and the product of 

 flourishing stalks; and their unsound state 

 may not be suspected until they are stripped 

 of the enveloping shuck. This, and perhaps 

 other inflictions of such crops, must be caused 



by the ravages of corn-bred and corn-sustain- 

 ing insects. Yet this kind of land is not en- 

 tirely without change of condition. The 

 rank cover of weeds and grass which follows 

 the last tillage of the corn, serves in some 

 measure as a green shading and manuring 

 crop. And even the inundations from freshes, 

 which occur every year, however injurious 

 in other respects, produce such great change 

 of condition, that they may destroy or re- 

 move whole tribes of insects. 



A stronger confirmation of this general 

 position in regard to corn, I have learned 

 on information from the proprietor of a piece 

 of land in Virginia, with which I am per- 

 sonally acquainted. It is a large field of 

 deep, mellow, light soil, very rich, high and 

 level land, and so peculiarly adapted to the 

 growth of corn, that the proprietor thought 

 fit to keep it under that crop every year. It 

 was so cultivated for thirteen years in suc- 

 cession; peas being planted with every crop, . 

 which, with such supplies as were afibrded 

 of other manure, maintained the high fer- 

 tility and product of the land. But though 

 the quantity of corn produced was not per- 

 ceptibly reduced, the rotten portion, — and 

 rotten without any apparent cause — con- 

 tinued to increase until it reached so large 

 a proportion of the whole product, and the 

 evil was of so regular occurrence, that this 

 peculiar mode of cultivation was from ne- 

 cessity abandoned, and the ordinary previous 

 plan of rotation was resumed. 



But besides this important consideration, 

 of certain tribes of destructive insects being 

 sustained by some certain condition, and still 

 more by the increased continued same con- 

 dition of a field, and destroyed by a thorough 

 change of that condition, such changes are 

 better for the more complete eradication of 

 some of the worst weeds, and still more for 

 the better product of the cultivated crops. 

 Ploughing or stirring the soil, however ne- 

 cessary to be well done while the growth of 

 a crop needs it, is hurtful to general produc- 

 tion, if continued year after year, without 

 cessation. Perhaps the growth of all crops 

 may require intervals of rest and consolida- 

 tion of the soil ; and it is certain that some 

 crops, which prefer a soil of firm and close 

 texture, — as clover and wheat, — cannot be 

 as successfully raised upon soils kept long 

 before under tillage and hoed crops. 



And while for some purposes of tillage or 

 product, there may be required a partial 

 consolidation of soil, others may be best for- 

 warded by very deep and thorough working. 

 And two crops which are peculiarly favoured 

 by the climate of South Carolina, and which 

 are among the many great blessings of this 

 region, serve admirably for these opposite 



