WAY-SIDE HINTS. 121 



be a competent talisman for the plow. The result is 

 very much bad work. And I would respectfully 

 suggest as a subject to which the newly inaugurated 

 Agricultural Colleges may fitly turn a portion of their 

 attention, the indoctrination of a certain number of 

 ambitious young farmers (every fall time) into the 

 merits of good plowing. It is not indeed to be ex- 

 pected that the purveyors of this Congressional agri- 

 cultural charity would, in most instances, be capable 

 personally of giving the requisite instruction ; but 

 they might avail themselves of the offices of here 

 and there a Scotch farmer who would be competent 

 to fulfil the trust, and there are always young Ameri- 

 cans willing to learn. 



Another noticeable feature in European field man- 

 agement, which contrasts strongly with much of 

 our helter skelter planting, is the almost universal 

 adoption of the drill system in the culture of all hoed 

 crops, by virtue of which fertilizing material is ap- 

 plied directly to the plants, and the same distributed 

 by a transverse plowing the succeeding season for 

 the benefit of the cereal which comes next in rota- 

 tion. It may be questionable if our corn crop (maize) 

 will not succeed best under so-called " hill " culture, 

 and with a broadcast application of manure, since it 

 is a gross and wide feeder, and demands full flow of 

 sun and air ; but in respect to most other hoed crops 

 6 



