120 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



2. That the mode of cutting up the whole, grain, 

 tops, and leaves, gives the most corn and heaviest 

 corn, and certainly improves t!i<> quality and in- 

 creases the quantity of cattle i'<l(U-r. The differ- 

 ence between No. 2 and No. 4 will be seen to be 

 nearly ten per cent, in quantity, and in weight about 

 five per cent. 



The third experiment was in removing the suck- 

 ers from corn. Mr. N. considered the result deci 

 dedly in favour of the practice. "Where the corn was 

 not thus treated, the ears were diminutive, while the 

 suckers produced little or no sound grain. There is 

 no doubt that suckers abstract food from the plants, 

 and, if taken off (we should prefer to cut them off) 

 and well cured, they furnish excellent forage ; yet 

 we have hitherto doubted if the gain would repay 

 the labour ; still we may be wrong. 



SELECTION OF SEED AND EARLY MATURITY. 



We adopt the opinion of Joseph Cooper, so far a* 

 least as relates to maize, that a change of seed is not 

 necessary when due regard is paid to its selection. We 

 have cultivated the Dutton variety of corn for eigh- 

 teen years, always personally selecting the earliest 

 and fairest ears for seed, which were immediately 

 braided and hung in an airy loft. It has ripened as 

 early this as it did the first year we received the 

 seed from the far North, while we are satisfied it 

 has increased in productiveness ; that it has larger 

 ears, and more of them, and taller stalks. The seed 

 is left to mature on the stalk till the crop is gathered 

 from the field, the earliest ripened being then easily 

 determined by the appearance of the husk and the 

 rich colour of the corn. Hence the importance of 

 every farmer taking care to secure, in person, his 

 best seed. 



There is one other fact that should not be lost 

 sight of the influence of soil and location upon ve- 

 getable growth. A moist, rich soil will give the 



