THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



231 



under size, but 



red-cob variety, the stalk rather 

 large, compared with any at the north. When 

 about six inches high, it was harrowed over 

 without taking out the front tooth of the harrow, 

 so as to cripple the springing grass and fill up 

 the planting furrow. Both these purposes were 

 well accomplished. It was then thinned to two 

 stalks in the hill, and as soon as the grass began 

 to spring again, cultivators, followed immediate- 

 ly by hoes, went over it. As soon afterwards 

 as necessary, the final working was given by 

 what are called skimmers in the lower country, 

 and scrapers here — an implement of which every 

 farmer should have a full supply. This mode 

 of cultivation, as you perceive, has been entirely 

 superficial. The storms have been attended with 

 the usual gales, and the last rain we had, on 

 the 26th of July, was accompanied with a vio- | 

 lent wind. The corn was then in the worst 

 condition for standing a blow, being full eared, ! 

 very luxuriant, full of sap, and unusually large j 

 for its kind. The ground too was saturated 

 with water from previous rains. But on looking I 

 through the crop the next day I thought it less 

 prostrated than any I had ever seen. I have 

 not yet housed it, of course, but on examination, 

 it appears very fine, and but for a drought of 

 twenty-six days would have come fully up to 

 my desire. It was the earliest crop in the neigh- 

 borhood, though not planted until the 15th or 

 20th April, which I think the best time in this 

 climate; and I ascribe its forwardness to non- 

 disturbance of the roots, which were thus 

 enabled to feed the stalk continually, and to 

 the mellowness and consequent moisture of the 

 soil which was not stirred and exposed to the 

 sun. 



A year ago, I had an opportunity of observ- 

 ing a fact confirmatory of that I detail, on the 

 adjoining farm of my father-in-law, Thomas 

 Jefferson Randolph, Esq. Accidentally, he was 

 unable to " give the dirt" to a part of his corn. 

 A violent gale came on late in August, when 

 the corn was formed but not filled ; and the part 

 that had been " sided" was blown nearly flat, 

 whilst the other was comparatively erect. Mr. 

 Randonlph pointed it out to me, and we could 

 tell the difference to the line. 



I am also at liberty to state that my friend 

 and neighbor, Col. Thomas Macon, made an 

 experiment last summer to test the virtues of 

 superficial culture, which, as far as it goes, 

 strengthens my position. Flis crop was managed 

 in the old way with the plough and coulter, but 

 he treated four rows, indifferently selected in the 

 body of the field, according to Buel's plan, and 

 he says that the closest scrutiny has failed to 

 detect the slightest difference between those 

 rows and the balance on both sides of them. I 

 think it probable that measurement will show a 

 considerable per cent, in favor of the experiment. 

 Admitting equal products, however, the saving 



of at least one-half the labor is, I should think, 

 a very decisive fact. 



It seems too, other things being equal, that 

 this mode of cultivation accords with reason. — 

 The coronal, or 11 prop" roots generally put forth 

 before the dirt is given to the corn. When that 

 is done, these are covered up and fresh ones are 

 formed above. It lakes time, and sap, which 

 is drawn from the whole plant, to perfect this 

 second growth, which after all, may not, and 

 sometimes does not, attain sufficient size and 

 length to answer its natural end. It certainly 

 delays, and to some extent, exhausts the plant, 

 as every additional draught upon it must. 



I confess I see but one difficulty in the way 

 of Judge Buel's plan on such lands as the south- 

 west mountains afford — it may cause them to 

 wash. On that point I am not satisfied, but 

 endeavoring to become so. If it be an objection 

 it is fatal. 



I have hesitated, Mr. Editor, to send you this 

 communication. It is long, though as much 

 compressed as I could make it ; and the harvest 

 is not appropriate to discuss the seed time. But 

 it is perhaps better to meet objections at the 

 threshold, and my piece is submitted accordingly. 

 Respectfully, your obedient servant, 



Frank G. Ruffin. 

 Shadivell, Albemarle, Sept. 3, 1844. 



We do not think either ourself or Mr. Easley 

 have been exactly understood. It is very com- 

 mon in this climate to see extensive injury aris- 

 ing from the prostration of our corn at different 

 periods of its growth ; the level mode of cultiva- 

 tion recommended by Judge Buel does seem to 

 us as less calculated to guard against the effect 

 of high winds than the old mode of "earthing" 

 the corn. By this latter process the stalk is in- 

 duced to put forth additional " prop roots," which 

 its frequent prostration now seem to render de- 

 sirable. We were willing to take, at any rate 

 to record, the opinion of so distinguished a planter 

 as Mr. Easley for the product of the two modes. 

 We have, however, met with several other gen- 

 tlemen since the publication of Mr. Easley's 

 communication who concur with Mr. Ruffin in 

 preferring the level and superficial mode of cul- 

 tivation, upon the ground that it affords an equal 

 product, with less labor. We happened to visit 

 the farm of one of these gentlemen who defends 

 and practices this level mode, and certainly his 

 crop had suffered materially from being blown 

 down by the wind ; whether it would have been 

 saved by ridging, we are unable to say. For 

 our own part, we have been inclined to think 



