10 



folded over the night, a most valuahle composition may be pre- 

 pared througfh the summer. It is known to every farmer, that 

 turning it often with a plough or fork will greatly increase its 

 value. Of manure, too much cannot be said. The subject cannot 

 too frequently be brought into view, nor too pressingly urged. It 

 gives you grass and your grain. Although there is little dan- 

 ger of applying too great a quantity to your land, it may be 

 used to excess. Indian corn will bear a free dressing; but your 

 crop of small grain may be injured by manuring too highly. It 

 will either be choked by weeds, or fall down and perish be- 

 fore ripe. Even grass land may be manured to excess— causing 

 your grass to fall before half grown; or, if it escape this calam- 

 ity, is rank and coarse, and not relished by your cattle. On the 

 rich bottom lands in the Western States, when first cleared, a 

 succession of crops of Indian corn are taken off to reduce the 

 land, before wheat is applied. 



Few articles are cultivated with greater profit and success in 

 this country, than Indian corn. The valuable uses to which it 

 may be applied, are well understood. Yet errors, undoubtedly, 

 obtain in its cultivation. It is a general practice with good far- 

 mers, to give their corn three hoeings, without regard to differ- 

 ent soils, or the state of their land. Whereas, four hoeings are 

 more necessary for some fields, than two for others. It is indis- 

 pensable that the weeds be kept down, let it cost what labor it 

 may. If three hoeings will not do it, apply the fourth. Permit 

 them to grow, not only do they injure your present crop, by 

 taking the moisture and nourishment from your corn, but suffer 

 them to seed, and a foundation is laid f^r a harvest of weeds the 

 following year. Indian corn is usually succeeded by small grain : 

 and how often have we observed it choked, and, before harvest, 

 overtopped, by weeds sown the preceding year, through the neg- 

 lect of the husbandman ! In land naturally weedy, when sown 

 with small grain, I have sometimes nearly lost my crop by its 

 being overtopped by weeds. The evil has been remedied, by in- 

 creasing the quantity of seed. Upon the farm on which I was 

 born and brought up, (my father was a husbandman) it was 

 practised, in planting Indian corn on sward land, to put the sum- 

 mer manure into the hill : the winter manure was spread, and, 



