AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 31 



earth is scraped from the surface, and the sod and manure 

 not exposed. It will be found beneficial to run the harrow 

 or cultivator a third and even a fourth time between the 

 rows, to destroy weeds and loosen the surface, particularly 

 if the season is dry. 



' Li harvesting the crop, one of three modes is adopted, 

 viz. : 1. The corn is cut at the surfEice of the ground when 

 the grain has become glazed or hard upon the outside, put 

 it immediately into stooks, and when sufficiently dried the 

 corn and stalks are separated, and both secured. 2. The 

 tops are taken off Avhen the corn has become glazetl, and 

 the grain permitted to remain till October or November upon 

 the but^s. Or, 3. Both corn and stalks are left standing 

 till the grain has fully ripened and the latter become dry, 

 when both are secured. There are other modes, such as 

 leaving the butts or entire stalks in the field after the grain 

 is gathered; but these are so wasteful and slovenly as not to 

 merit consideration. The stalks, blades, aixd tops of corn- 

 if well secured, are an excellent fodder for neat cattle. If 

 cut, or cut and steamed, so that they can be readily masti- 

 cated, they are superior to hay. Besides, their fertilizing 

 properties as a manure are greatly augmented by being fed 

 out in the cattle yard m d imbibing the urine and liquids 

 which always there abound, and which are lost to the farm 

 in ordinary yards, without abundance of dry litter to take 

 them up. By the first of these methods, the crop may be 

 secured before the autumnal rains ; the vabie of the fodder 

 is increased, and the ground is cleared in time for a winter 

 crop of wheat or rye. The second mode impairs the value 

 of the forage, requires more labor, and does not increase the 

 quantity or improve the quality of the grain. The third 

 mode requires the same labor as the first, may improve the 

 quality of the grain, but must inevitably deteriorate the 

 quality of the fodder. The corn cannot be husked too 

 promptly after it is gathered from the field. If permitted to 

 heat the value of the grain is materially impaired.' 



To the above directions (which are quoted from an excel- 

 lent article written by J. Buel, Esq., of Albany, originally 

 published in The Genessee Farmer, and republished in the 

 Neiv England Farmer, vol. xi. p. 305) we shall add some 

 further particulars from various sources. 



A writer for GoodseWs Genessee Farmer, with the signa- 

 ture W. P. W., recommends wetting seed corn with soft 



