56 



in their decomposition, that no evil may result from the heat of their 

 first action ; and that they may be so subdivided and dissolved as to 

 be in a condition to be at once taken up by the absorbent vessels of 

 the plants. 



These views will explain what I wish to say in regard to our great 

 crop, Indian corn ; and what long experience and observation have 

 confirmed. The question is often asked, shall the manure be spread 

 or placed in the hill ? T answer, do both. Its immediate action is 

 needed to bring the plant forward as soon as possible ; and therefore 

 partially decomposed manure should be placed in the hill. It is equal- 

 ly necessary that the plant should not suffer from want when its roots 

 spread themselves beyond the hill in pursuit of food. The unfer- 

 mented manure, spread and ploughed in lightly, will be in a condition 

 for the use of the fibrous roots when they advance to receive it. 

 Another question often proposed is, should the manure which is 

 spread be ploughed in deeply, or covered lightly, or simply laid on 

 the surface ? If the plant to be cultivated be a tap rooted plant, it 

 will find the manure though it should be buried deeply. If it has a 

 spreading and fibrous root, like all the cereal grains, the nearer it is to 

 the surface, without being entirely exposed on the top of it, the more 

 available it is to the growth of the plant. If laid upon the surface 

 and not covered, much of it must inevitably be lost by the sun and 

 rain and wind. In respect to Indian corn, especially recollecting the 

 cold seasons of the two last years, it is important by every possible 

 means to get the plant forward as fast as possible ; and for that reason 

 to select the warmest and the dryest land ; to manure with fine ma- 

 nure in the hill, and with unfermented manure spread broad cast ; 

 and to plant as soon as the land can be made dry and warm enough to 

 receive the seed. There is no crop that will better reward the most 

 liberal cultivation. 



In respect to the manuring of wheat, fermented and finely dissolved 

 manures may be safely applied the year of its being sown ; but not 

 so with unfermented manures. In general, it is best that the crop, 

 which precedes the wheat rather than the wheat itself, should be 

 manured. 



In regard to the application of manure to potatoes, the almost uni- 

 versal opinion has been, that when manured in the hill, the seed 

 should be laid upon the manure. Many farmers have reversed this 



