9© FALLOWING. 



after having ssoaked it well ; then sift on ashes, lime, er 

 l)laster, stirring it till each kernel has taken up as mucii 

 as will permit its being conveniently handled. Another 

 method is, to soak the seed, then roll it in sulphur, and 

 plant it immediatelj. Perhaps a little sulphur mixed 

 with gypsum might render the seed sufficiently obnox- 

 ious to birds, &.C. 



The time of planting is that at which the earth first 

 acquires the warmth necessary to vegetation, and which 

 is sufficiently indicated by her spontaneous productions. 

 [{ we plant eariier, the seed is apt to rot ; if later, the 

 ripening of the crop is hazarded. The old ladian rule, 

 is to plant when the leaves of the white-oak are about 

 the size of a mouse's ear ; which generally takes place, 

 between the 2uth of May and the first of June. Thii 

 "will answer for all soils except dry ones, which should 

 lie planted a little earlier than this rule directs. 



There is some difference of practice, without any 

 great difference of result, in the modes of planting. If 

 land is rough or strong, and the object is to make the 

 most of labour^ the better way is to plant in hilis ; but 

 if the soil is rich and easy to till, and the object is te 

 make the most of land^ the drill method should be cho- 

 sen. According to the first method, let the ground be 

 Gut into squares, by shoal furrows with a horse plough, 

 (say half as deep as for common ploughing) from three 

 to four feet apart, according to the kinds of corn to be 

 planted. If nearly a shovel full of dung is to be put 

 into each hill, the furrowing must consequently be pret- 

 ty deep. If care is taken in planting to place the 

 kernels four or five inches apart, four or five stalks can 

 stand in each hill to advantage ; but if thrown promis- 

 cuously in, they generally fall together, and three are 

 sufficient for a hill. When planted in drills, the rows 

 should be about four or five feet apart, and the corn 

 about six inches apart in the rows, and covered about 

 two inches deep. The rows must always run north 

 and south, that the corn may receive equally the bene- 

 fit of the sun. At other times two rows of potatoes, or 

 mangei-wurtzel, are interposed between as many rows of 

 cprn, which is said to be a profitable practice. 



Corn should not be annoyed with running beans, 

 wkich by winding round the stalks and ears, cramp them 



