272 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to us almost like a forsaking the faith of the fathers and a 

 tempting of Divine Providence, to allow ourselves thus to fall 

 away in that element of past growth, life and prosperity in the 

 Commonwealth. The average growth also among us, even at 

 this day, is not more than twenty-five or thirty bushels to the 

 acre. This is far too low for our increased knowledge in its 

 cultivation. The average ought to be doubled. 



To young farmers we say, aim to grow at least seventy-five 

 bushels to, the acre. To do this will require care in preparing 

 the ground. Let it be a grass-sod turned over very flat, and so 

 deeply as to leave a good loam to cover it well. This may be 

 done in the autumn or spring. Let it be enriched with well 

 pulverized barnyard and hog manure, or fish-guano, with salt 

 and plaster added, at the rate of three hundred pounds of plas- 

 ter and two bushels rock salt per acre, and the yield of corn will 

 be in the ratio of the amount of manure, all other things being 

 equal. Twenty loads, of thirty bushels each, of the barnyard 

 manure will neither injure the soil or crop. Work it from the 

 top with a shear-harrow without disturbing the sod. Plant 

 three and a half feet apart. Give the hills each a great spoon- 

 ful of homemade superphosphate, with five kernels of very pure, 

 handsome seed, covered well, but not deeply. Plough, if you 

 desire, at weeding, and finish with a careful stirring of soil 

 around young plants and a handful of wood-ashes to each hill. 

 Leave four stocks in the hill and cultivate with horse-hoe, after 

 weeding, being sure not to disturb^the tendrils of the roots that 

 so nearly cover the whole soil when well grown, and you may 

 safely count on seventy-five bushels and upward per acre. The 

 time of planting, the Indians said, was when the oak-leaves were 

 as big as the squirrels' ears that run along their branches — or 

 about the 20th of May. We find on wet lands frequently fine 

 crops where it is planted ten or even fifteen days later. We 

 should think, as a rule, it would be better to cut up your corn 

 from the hill, and generally about the last days of September. 

 Stook it up at once ; — it will give corn with less shrinkage, the 

 fodder will be better, and it will save labor. 



Let us only here add that we believe the time is coming when 

 corn, as producing a cheap food for the growing population of 

 the Old World as well as the New, will be almost invaluable. 



William KNOWLTON,/or the CommiUee. 



