No. 129.] • 29 



season will perhaps Sftrve to convince them of its importance, 

 and show them conclusively, that for clearing and draining they 

 will be amply remunerated. Some little observation has con- 

 vinced me. too, that the past drought has not been without its use- 

 fulue=s in another particular : it has shown clearly the great value 

 of sub-soil plowing. Experience has convinced me of the many 

 and great benefits of working the ground deep and thoroughly, 

 and not the least of its benefits is this, that in a dry season it 

 enables the ground to absorb freely the moisture and gases in 

 which the atmosphere always abounds. 



I will nuw glance briefly at some of the more important pro- 

 ducts exhibited in the horticultural department. And first of 

 agricultural products, among which Indian corn must take the 

 first place, Of this most useful and important of the cereals, 

 the display was much larger, and, as a whole, much finer "than 

 we have ever had before. . The varieties shown were very nu- 

 merous, but it seems to me that some of them might very well 

 be dispensed with in this and surrouuding localities. I should 

 like to see the varieties in this vicinity reduced to five or six of 

 the best, and the attention of our farmers directed tp the impor- 

 tance of these. Stowell's evergreen sweet corn attracted a large 

 share of attention. It is certainly a most desirable variety for 

 the table, and by far the most prolific that I have ever seen ; but 

 in one particular it has been^somewhat over estimated. Though 

 it retains the milky state for a long time without any unusual 

 care, it cannot be kept through the "winter without a degree of 

 trouble which few will bestow upon it. The chief difiiculty is 

 its tendency to mildew ; and this is so great that it is necessary 

 to dry it in an oven or by a stove in order to preserve it for seed. 

 In regard to its prolificness, I will state that I grew it in a mode- 

 rately stifi" loam, which had been used for several years as a cow 

 yard. This was trenched two spades deep, and sprinkled with 

 ashes. The corn was planted about the middle of June, in rows 

 four feet apart, and three inches only in the rows; and yet, not- 

 withstanding the late period at which it was planted, the drought, 

 and its closeness in the rows, it grew ten feet high, and produced 

 Jive large, well filled ears to the stalk. I will just add, that no 

 earth was drawn to the stalks. I never hill either corn,' 



