INDIAN CORN. 165 



Statement of Henry Smith. 



The ground was in grass, and had been in grass for six or 

 seven years, and was very much run out, producing not more 

 than fifteen hundred of hay to the acre. Ploughed about the 

 2d of May ; planted the 2oth ; land valued at -f 100 per acre ; 

 planted the eight-rowed common corn, two and a half acres in 

 the piece ; spread on ten and a half cords of manure, and 

 harrowed it in ; cultivated one way the first time hoeing ; the 

 second time, cultivated both ways and hoed as usual. 



EXPENSE OF AN ACRE. 



Ploughing, 



Harrowing, ..... 



Putting the manure on, and spreading, 

 Planting, ...... 



Cultivating and hoeing, first time, 



" " " second time, . 



Cost of ten and a half cords of manure, 



Chelmsford, September 7, 18G1. 



$30 20 



This piece exhibited a perfect swamp of stover, well set with 

 large and long ears of fine, yellow, eight-rowed corn, with broad 

 and deep kernels, name not known to Mr. Smith. It was 

 planted in hills three and a half by three and a half feet and 

 hilled. 



At this time there are many kinds of corn, from which the 

 careful farmer may select seed adapted to his soil, location, and 

 means of feeding the crop. If his soil is warm, dry, strong 

 and deep, the large and later maturing kinds may be used ; 

 but if thin and cold, the early and smaller kinds should be 

 planted. When this crop has been planted in one place for a 

 series of years, and highly manured, it has a tendency to 

 increase its stover at the expense of the grain ; the stocks 

 growing coarse, and the ears setting high, the whole requiring 

 large supplies of fertilizers to carry and mature the crop in our 

 short seasons ; hence the necessity of changing the seed as often 

 as is necessary. This result may in some measure be avoided 

 by selecting the earliest maturing ears from year to year ; but 

 many of us neglect this method of keeping our corn from 



