198 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



regularity. But if we have refereuce chiefly to the growth of 

 the corn, it will only be necessary to attend to width and the 

 depth of the furrow, and the rows will be nearly enough on a 

 straight line. The furrows should be three feet apart both 

 ways, when the corn is to be planted in hills ; and when planted 

 in drills three feet will be space enough for convenient cul- 

 tivation. 



Many farmers have supposed, and acted on the supposition, 

 that if a field has a scanty dressing of manure, and is in some- 

 what of an exhausted state, by planting in wide rows we obtain, 

 more corn and leave the land in better condition. The experi- 

 ence of the writer has led him to the conclusion that both these 

 suppositions are errors. When corn is planted four, five, or six 

 feet apart, the hot summer suns have an exhausting influence 

 on the soil. The middle of the rows differ very little from 

 fallow ground, which, it is generally believed, injures the soil. 

 In poor land, no doubt, a less number of plants should be cul- 

 tivated than in rich land ; let it be done by leaving a less number 

 of plants in the hill, or placing the kernels farther apart in the 

 drills. Where no space is left in a field, destitute of a plant, 

 more than three feet wide, the soil of the whole field will be 

 likely to be evenly tilled, which is of considerable importance, 

 and, as the plants grow, they will form a screen for the ground 

 from the direct and scorching influences of the sun. In general 

 practice, probably it is best to plant three feet apart each way, 

 and leave three, four, or five plants in a hill, according to the 

 strength of the soil, and the preparation of it for the crop. 

 Much greater crops may be obtained by planting in drills, but 

 the labor is more, and often as laborers are changed in this 

 country, it is not a light task to indoctrinate them in the proper 

 culture in drills. Whatever manner of planting be adopted, if 

 an extraordinary crop be desired, we should plant a double 

 quantity of seed and, in the early part of summer pull up the 

 least thrifty plants, leaving only such number as we think the 

 soil will carry to perfection. 



It is with plants as with animals, some having apparently the 

 same means of nourishment and growth will be dwarfish and 

 mar the appearance of the field or flock ; by the removal of the 

 least thrifty and promising ones, we not only improve the 

 appearance of the field and flock, but leave a greater amount of 

 room for the most vigorous. 



