ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 107 



A review of the opinions that have prevailed, in relation to 

 the cultivation of vegetables for the use of animals, should 

 make us cautious in our preference, and more discriminating 

 and observing of all the circumstances, that may have a bearing 

 upon the result. This is the kind of information sought to be 

 elicited by the premiums offered. For this reason, do we make 

 these commentaries, in the hope of drawing out this informa- 

 tion. We feel that it is what the farmer ought to know, and 

 what it is in his power to know, if he will but take the requi- 

 site pains to acquire the knowledge. 



Indian corn has long been a cherished and valued crop in 

 New England. No other crop has, as yet, been found, that 

 will, in all respects, fill its place. Others, yielding a more boun- 

 tiful harvest to the acre, can be named ; but where is the farmer, 

 relying on his own experience, who wants to have his oxen in 

 good condition for the butcher's stall in the spring, who would 

 be willing to trust them without the use of a portion of Indian 

 meal ? or, where is the farmer who has not found a few quarts 

 of Indian meal to be beneficially distributed to his cows, about 

 the time of their lying in ? These are notions we acquired 

 when young, among old school farmers ; and, although we have 

 never gone into a nice calculation of the economy of growing 

 Indian corn, we believe it will be a long time before Yankee 

 farmers will be persuaded to abandon its cultivation. Certainly 

 not, while children love Johnny cakes as we used to love them. 

 Our impressions are, that a mixture of feed is preferable to any 

 one kind exclusively. English hay should be the basis, and In- 

 dian corn the first accompaniment. All the vegetables named 

 may be advantageously used when combined with Indian 

 meal. No stock can be fed, in the most successful manner, 

 without a fair portion of this indispensable ingredient. It is to 

 the animal, what steam power is to the traveller, the most cer- 

 tain means of going ahead. 



Some farmers are of the opinion, that the fodder procured 

 from the corn field will nearly pay for the labor of growing and 

 gathering the crop. If this be so, and an average oi fifty bush- 

 els to the acre can be secured by fair manuring of the land, the 

 farmer, who cultivates ten acres of corn, will find it a very 

 pretty appendage to his crops, at the close of the harvest. 



