AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 137 



ness was not attended to as we could have wished. It was 

 ploughed in the early part of the summer ; but harrowing 

 to destroy the weeds was substituted for the second plough- 

 ing. This, and the unusual blight which affected all the 

 grain in this part of the country, led us to anticipate a small 

 crop. It yielded, however, fifteen bushels to the acre. 



The land on which the crop of rye was raised the present 

 season had for three or four previous years been planted with 

 Indian corn ; and owing to the extent of our tillage land, we 

 have not been able to apply more than four or five loads of 

 manure to the acre this season. The charlick was suffered 

 to attain its growth as usual ; and on the 18th and 19th of 

 June it was carefully ploughed in. The second crop was 

 ploughed in on the 6th and 7th of August. On the 14th and 

 15th of September it was sowed in the usual manner, name- 

 ly, a small strip of land was ploughed, and the seed sown 

 immediately upon the furrow, and then harrowed in ; then 

 another strip of land was ploughed, and so on, until the whole 

 was completed. One bushel per acre was sowed, as usual. 

 The, seed was originally obtained from a farmer in this vici- 

 nity, and I suppose is similar to that which is generally 

 used. We have never prepared our seed in any manner, but 

 have directed our attention solely to the preparation of the 

 land; and to this we attribute our success. Owing to the 

 unusual severity of the winter, the crop was considerably 

 winter-killed, but recovered very soon in the spring, except- 

 ing in the midfurrows. There, as the land lies very level, the 

 water settled, and so completely destroyed the rye that they 

 continued bare the whole season. This would of course 

 cause some diminution in the crop ; perhaps a bushel or two. 

 The rye was reaped at the usual season, and, as the weather 

 was favorable, immediately put into the barn. The land 

 contained one acre and thirteen rods, and yielded forty-six 

 bushels and three pecks : a remarkably fine sample. 



In entering a claim for your premium, I would ask your 

 attention particularly to the process of cultivation. It is I 

 believe entirely new, and capable of general application. 



Sowing the seed immediately after the plough we con- 

 sider very advantageous to the crop. The soil being then 

 moist, causes the seed to spring immediately, and gives a 

 forwardness and vigor to the plants, which they ever after 

 retain. 



The process of ploughing in three crops of weeds before 

 the seed is sown very much enriches the soil. It would be 

 12=^ 



