SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



83 



that taken from the tips, middles, and large ends of the ears, 

 and to the Report of the committee on farms in the second part 

 of my Report of last year, page 150, where a farmer planted 

 only the corn from the small end of the ears, choosing such as 

 were well filled out ; then only from the middle of the ears ; 

 then only from the big ends. After ten years of trial, he found 

 that in seven years of the ten, the crop from the tips was the 

 the largest and best. 



The corn-planter is an invaluable labor-saving machine, and 

 the thrifty farmer who studies economy, will not fail to avail 

 himself of tliis as well as other improved implements. 



With respect to the mode of planting, whether in hills or drills, 

 there is considerable diversity of opinion, but in practice it 

 doubtless depends much on the variety of corn planted. Larger 

 crops can be obtained, I think, in drill planting, especially witli 

 the smaller varieties of corn, but there is no question that tlie 

 labor of cultivation in New England and the older parts of the 

 country is somewhat greater than it would be if planted in 

 hills. Some varieties require greater space than others. On 

 this point, the remarks of Mr. Allen, in an essay on this subject, 

 in the second part, are valuable and to the point. 



It is often convenient to know the number of hills and the 

 quantity of seed required on an acre planted at different dis- 

 tances. The following table will be valuable for reference ; — • 



Table of the Numher of Hills to the Acre, and the Quarts of Seed 

 required at four and five kernels to the hill. 



