124 IKDIAK COKN. 



dry land. 2d. A medium seeding. 3d. Sowing in 

 drills wide enough apart to allow the use of a horse 

 hoe. 4th. Thorough cultivation. 



The drill system is practiced in the western parts 

 of New York State with encouraging results. The 

 land undergoes a thorough preparation before the 

 seed is sown, by manuring, ploughing, harrowing, 

 and dragging. As the crop is needed to mature at 

 different periods through the season, the first sowing 

 takes place about the 1st May. Western seed corn 

 is sown with a drill, three and a half to four bushels 

 per acre being used on as mellow a surface as the 

 cultivator, drag, and roller will make. This gives 

 clean culture, level surface, and rapid growth. The 

 second sowing on 20th May, again on the 10th June, 

 and balance July 1st. At the proper time, before 

 any frost, a combined mower and reaper, rigged ex- 

 actly as in cutting wheat, is used, the ground being 

 rolled smooth before drilling. The machine is driven 

 around the piece, cutting just as easily and as rap- 

 idly as in oats or wheat, a young lad following to 

 remove the bundles, at the corners, out of the way 

 of the team in turning. It cures in three or four days 

 enough to bind. Then it is stacked up, putting eight 

 bundles in a bunch, securely tied at top. In this 

 way it becomes well cured w r hen wanted for use, and 

 is all eaten, being green and fresh in color, and ex- 

 ceedingly sweet. Some draw it into the barn in the 

 fall. Others allow it to remain in the field, and 

 draw as needed. The advantage of drilling is, the 

 stalks are not so large and woody, and are all 

 eaten ; don't require any culture with a horse ; there 

 are less weeds ; more ease in binding and handling, 

 and less expense in cutting. 



