196 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



imperfect, and in many respects faulty. The philosophy of a 

 civilized race would have much sooner discovered the fallacy 

 of them, and introduced an improved culture, had not the 

 plant been remarkable for vigor in growth, and in virgin soil 

 attaining maturity with very little cultivation. The method 

 recommended by the natives was to make an incision in the soil, 

 drop several kernels, and cover with the excavated soil. After 

 the appearance of the plants, they scraped from time to time 

 the surface soil around them, till little hillocks were formed of 

 considerable height. Some imitation of this method has con- 

 tinued to the present time ; we occasionally see what are very 

 appropriately termed Indian hills, and which should have no 

 place in more than a few cultivated fields. Making hills places 

 many of the roots of corn too deep to receive those kindly 

 influences of sun, and air, necessary to perfection in growth. 

 Modern practice has clearly proved that if the soil be frequently 

 and sufficiently stirred the roots of corn will find their proper 

 place in it, and the plants will be far better supported against 

 the influences of strong winds than when hills are formed. 



The importance of the corn crop, to tlie prosperity of farm- 

 ers, the certainty with which they may calculate on success in 

 a judicious cultivation of the plant, combine to urge them 

 diligently to study the habits of the plant, and to adopt the 

 method of cultivation the most likely to give them distinguished 

 success. 



The first requisite to success is the judicious selection of soil. 

 In New England we have a large portion of soil, in which the 

 corn plant will prosper only in particular and peculiar seasons ; 

 tenacious and clayey soils will not yield good crops, excepting 

 in very warm seasons, and when moderate rains are so frequent 

 as to keep the surface soft and the pores open. Silicious soils, 

 such as the farmers call warm, are the most certain to produce 

 fair and well ripened crops of corn. 



The various loams will do well for this crop if well saturated 

 with manure. This article is not furnished with sufficient 

 liberality to our corn fields generally. The corn plant is a 

 gross feeder, and requires an abundance of food in the last 

 stages of its growth. Hence the utility of applying a large 

 quantity of long manure to the field in the spring before 

 planting ; this dissolves in the soil, and comes into the most 



