Mixed Culture of Potatoes and Corn, 203 



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in each cluster. Between the corn ridges are planted on 

 beds five and a half feet wide, two double rows of pota- 

 toes, vacancy between them two feet tw^o inches, the 

 double rows eight inches a part, straight and triangular 

 like the corn ; this leaves ten feet tour inches between 

 the double rows of corn for sun and air. 1 have never 

 known a very large crop of corn without a great many 

 plants, and if those can be better arranged with valuable 

 crops of other kinds growing on the same ground, it 

 will be an object, and it is strikingly obvious that the 

 outside plants of a field are much the best, when not 

 incommoded by fencing &^c. Those grounds were 

 ploughed in one-bout ridges in the fall, twice ploughed 

 and \\ell harrowed in the spring, manured at the rate 

 of 64 loads* of farm yard dung per acre, each load 32 



'^ I have frequently planted Indian corn in single rows 

 eight feet asunder, and dropped single corns, two feet distant 

 from each other in the rov/s ; so as to stand in single plants. 

 Th's mode was suggested to me by General Washington^ 

 who told me he had great success in it. When the corn was 

 ridged, potatoes were planted in the cleaning out furrows ; 

 which were filled with rotted dung ; and closed by two fur- 

 rows backed over the potatoes by the plough. 1 have had 

 repeatedly 40 to 50 bushels of shelled corn, and 100 to 150 

 bushels of potatoes, to the acre. The roots oi the corn ran 

 into the dung, and received every benefit. I never had a 

 nubbin ; as the stalks in general had each no less than three, 

 and the most four, peri'ect and large ears. In weight the crop 

 alwavs exceeded the best corn cultivated in the common way; 

 whatever number of bushels there might be. The culture 

 must be clean, and the stirrings frequent. 



