74 ON INDIAN CORW. 



Tiie practice of topping the stalks is to be entirely disapproved. 

 Very exact experiments have demonstrated that it cannot be 

 done but at the expense of about one fifth of the crop ; and for 

 this loss no advantage in the supposed improved condition of the 

 fodder, can be any equivalent. 



We come next to speak of the harvesting of the crop, and here 

 I ask leave to detail partially my ovvn experience. The com- 

 mon mode of topping the stalks, and afterwards gathering the 

 corn in the field and leaving the husks and butts to be browsed 

 by cattle is improvident and wasteful. The leaving it untopped 

 until it is sufficiently ripe, and then cutting it up at the bottom, 

 allowing it to finish the ripening in the shock, has sometimes with 

 me been attended v.'ith success ; in some cases however it has 

 given me so much mouldy and soft corn as almost to induce me 

 to abandon a method so much recommended by many intelligent 

 farmers, and now since I have discovered, as I believe, the 

 causes of my failure, most approved by my own judgment. 



The last summer was such an extraordinarily cold summer 

 that corn generally was three weeks behind its usual condition at 

 this season, and fears were entertained that the crop would be 

 entirely cut off. On the 9th of September there was a slight 

 frost and on the 12th and 13th there were severe frosts. Corn 

 was generally in the milk ; and in many places much was killed. 

 The fogs on the river, near to my residence, served as a protec- 

 tion to my crop. Under these threatening appearances, fearing 

 the loss of ray whole crop, if delayed, I determined to cut up 

 the whole at the ground as soon as it should be slightly glazed, 

 and the results and facts in relation to it, 1 took pains to record. 



I was curious to determine whether corn in the railk^ and not 

 at all glazed would ripen if cut at this time. Three stalks 

 with one ear on each were cut up in this condition and placed in 

 as favorable a situation as possible for sun and air. They ripen- 

 ed perfectly and to appearance became as fair and hard and 

 heavy as any ; but the experiment would be a rash one with a 

 whole field, where as favorable an opportunity for curing it could 

 not be obtained. 



I began cutting up my corn on the 14th September, after hav- 



