No. 149.] 129 



than when treated with any other description of manure used by 

 me, but even when combined with charcoal, for the purpose of 

 retaining all the ammonia with the view of producing greater effect, 

 it is nevertheless n.)t desirable to depend solely upon it for support- 

 ing this rank growing plant until maturity . Hence the employment 

 of ashes which of itself, especially in clay soil, is an excellent 

 fertilizer for this crop. 



It is my custom as soon .as the corn is glazed, to top the plants 

 at the first joint above the ears, and strip off all the leaves 

 below them, which when cured at this stage, I- am of opinion 

 they contain as much nutriment as the entire stalk at the period 

 it is usually cut when topping is not practiced. 



The husking is performed on the field, and the cows turned in 

 to eat the husks, thus leaving nothing but the naked stalk, which 

 as soon as the active farming operations are over, are cut down 

 by separating them at every joint, covering the field with what 

 I consider a tolerable coating of manure, thus returning to th6 

 soil a portion it had produced, and if answering no other pur- 

 pose than that of assisting to keep the ground loose, is, in my 

 opinion, the best disposition that can be made of this, the coarsest 

 and least valuable of this important plant.* If the ground will 

 permit, they are immedately plowed in, and if allowed to re- 

 main on the surface until spring, they offer no obstacle to suc- 

 ceeding cultivation. 



On ground intended to be replanted with corn, I do not think 

 the utility of this course can be denied. Pursuing this plan in 

 connection with the other mode of treatment mentioned, I, have 

 three years in succession grown corn in the same locality with 

 invariable good results. 



Several varieties having been grown on the same field, it is to 

 be regretted that their respective yield was not as definitely 

 ascertained as now wished. The entire crop, however, was 

 good. 



Of the white flint varieties, I prefer that known as the Long 

 Island or Douglass ; of the yellow, the golden^ Sioux, for which 



•When the quantity is very large, a cutting machine might be employed to ad- 

 vantage. 



[Assembly, No. 149.J I 



