INDIAN CORN. 115 



ed as well as the first ; making for the last planted 

 just 13 weeks. It needed no sorting to grind, and 

 handsomer corn I never saw. As to its being all 

 stalks and no corn, the result showed. I am strong- 

 ly of the opinion that great improvements may be 

 made in planting by distributing the seed more over 

 the ground, and by putting in more of it. L. C. 



I here offer my mode of treating corn, which 1 

 consider the most important among the grain crops. 

 Whether manure has been spread before ploughing 

 or placed in the hills afterward, I adopt the same 

 practice. As soon as the corn is up, so that the 

 rows or lines can be distinctly seen, I run the plough 

 through, as near to the hills as may be without dis- 

 placing the plants, to the depth of five inches, throw- 

 ing the earth from the hills ; if moles or mice are 

 plenty in the field, both ways ; if not, only one way. 

 The rows are then gone over with the hand-hoe, the 

 hard surface or crust immediately about the plants 

 stirred and broken, and the contiguous weeds or 

 grass destroyed : this is the first dressing. After 

 about ten days, set in the plough in the same man- 

 ner as before, if it has been ploughed through only 

 one way ; if both, reverse the furrows, and let the 

 hoe be used to loosen the earth about the plants, 

 and to draw a little fresh soil to the hill, at the same 

 time eradicating all weeds and grass near the plants. 

 Now we have ended the second process, and are 

 ready, at the proper time, for the third and fourth, 

 or more, as the soil or season may require, with the 

 cultivator or harrow to break down small hillocks 

 or ridges, and to keep a soft surface between the 

 rows, that will absorb the showers or dews, when a 

 hard surface would be but little benefited, taking 

 care at each time to draw a little new mould to the 

 hills, yet leaving them at the last dressing wide and 

 square, and but slightly elevated. This little rise 

 about the corn will help to support it at the autum- 



