THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



331 



of the severed ends. No other ordinary tillage 

 process can reach these roots. Of course, the de- 

 struction of sassafras bushes, by grubbing, is im- 

 possible. But the laws of vegetation would teach, 

 what has been observed in practice, as above 

 stated, that the continued removal of the leaves in 

 their very early growth, must finally kill the entire 

 plant, root and branch. 



My own farm furnishes a case approaching in 

 success, as to time, to the above, and as complete 

 in effect — and another case of apparent failure. 

 The first is of land surrounding the mansion, for- 

 merly cultivated regularly, and a part of it then 

 thickly set with small sassafras bushes. About 

 five years ago, the land was made a standing pas- 

 ture, and has since been constantly grazed, gener- 

 ally by sheep, and always by a few cattle. The 

 grazing has not been close. The sassafras bushes 

 were first cut off by a scythe, and since have been 

 chopped off, at the ground once, or perhaps twice. 

 On examining the ground since receiving the above 

 information, (Sept. 25th,) not a trace of a sassafras 

 is to be found — nor even a dead stem remaining. 



Another adjoining field, kept as long as pasture, 

 has numerous small sassafras bushels still living. 

 But this has not been continuously grazed except 

 by hogs — very rarely, and for short times by 

 sheep — and sometimes in every summer there 

 were neither cattle, sheep, nor horses, for one or 

 two months together.] 



83. We all know that the young shoots and leaves 

 of sassafras bushes are eaten with relish by most 

 grazing stock — horses, mules, cattle and sheep. 

 The young shoots and leaves (if not the older) are 

 also very mucilaginous, as all know who have 

 chewed them for their pleasant flavor. But I 

 have not until lately heard of their being used 

 as forage. Mr. Francis Nixon of Perquimons, 

 stated that he had known calves, when penned, to 

 be separated from the cows, but not to be entirely 

 deprived of milk, to be fed on the branches or tops 

 of sassafras bushes — of which the calves ate hear- 

 tily, and kept in very good order on this food only, 

 with a little milk which they were still permitted 

 to suck after the milking of the cows. 



Suckering Corn. — Labor and Benefit. 



.84. It is almost universally the custom to pull 

 off the suckers which shoot out from the roots of 

 young corn. But it is done so imperfectly, and so 

 many of the later suckers are left to grow, that I 

 have long doubted whether the operation, as per- 

 formed, did any good. The earliest suckers will 

 make good ears, if the land can yield as much. 

 These are usually all pulled off, and by neglect, 

 the latter suckers only are left, which bring eifeer 

 deformed and imperfect ears, or more generally, 

 none. Under these impressions, 1 have for many! 

 years omitted all suckering of corn, until making 

 the following trial of the labor of perfect and ef- 

 fectual suckering, (which is never done in large 

 practice,) and the benefit of such suckering. 



Experiment. — On June 5th, 1851, five adjacent 

 corn rows, 384 yards long, were suckered (for the 

 first time) by only one careful and trusty laborer, 

 who was thus employed 1 hour and 32 minutes. 



The corn stood two stalks together at every 3 feet 

 in the row, and the rows 5i feet apart. On June 

 14th, these rows again needed and had suckering. 

 The time required not observed ; but probably it 

 was not less than the first. On July 2nd, again 

 suckered the same. It then engaged the labor of 

 two hands for 40 minutes, equal to 80 minutes 

 for one laborer. The suckers pulled off at this 

 third opei-ation, I counted myself, after they were 

 pulled off, and laid in rows for my inspection. 

 They amounted to 936, varying from 10 to 40 inches 

 in length, and generally from 18 to 24 inches. No 

 doubt some of the larger had been omitted, be- 

 cause small and not observed at the second pulling. 

 All this and the adjoining ground was sown in 

 peas on June 5th, and produced a heavy cover. 

 Other experiments and measurements of corn made 

 close by, showed that this growth of peas damaged 

 the growth of the corn. Possibly it may have in- 

 creased the evil of suckers remaining. 



Result. — October 15th. — Gathered, shucked, and 

 measured the com on these five rows, (suckered,) 

 and also of five other rows on each side, of like 

 corn and land, but from which no suckers had been 

 pulled off. The products as follows : 

 Five rows, suckered, 384 yards long, made of 



baskets of ears, (1| bushels each) .o\\ 



Ten rows, (not suckered,) same length, 551? 

 -i-2=average 25 f 



Difference 3| 



Or rather more than 13 per cent, increase caused 

 by this perfect and timely suckering. The com 

 suffered severely by drought, which probably made 

 suckers, thick planting of corn, and also the cover 

 of peas, sown thus early — all more injurious to the 

 product of corn. 



But even if as great increase were always to be 

 gained from suckering corn, it is clear that it is 

 never done, and cannot be done thus laboriously, 

 and effectually through the crop. Since that trial, 

 I have tried to have all the first suckers left ; but 

 to pull off all the latter growth, and not to leave 

 but one (the oldest,) on any one stalk. 



[My corn is an early kind — the Maryland " twin," 

 or " prolific" corn. — E. R.] 



Want of Action, or of Profitable Results of Guano. 



85. [Guano as manure has been so generally found 

 beneficial, and also, in most cases, profitable, that 

 success seems to be the general rule, and failures 

 are but exceptions to the rule. This I readily ad*- 

 mit, at least as to immediate or early effects — 

 though remaining more in doubt as to results of 

 much later times. Heretofore, in all the nume- 

 rous publications on guano, we have seen little else 

 of facts stated than cases of successful and profita- 

 ble applications of this manure. Of such exem- 

 plifications of the working of the general rule, so 

 many have been published, and so many have 

 been observed or otherwise known by almost 

 every intelligent farmer, that it would be use- 

 less for me to swell these minutes by adding 

 more of such facts of successful use. But, though 

 not so published, or generally known, there are 

 also many well authenticated facts of failures — 

 and within the accurate practice and observation of 

 good farmers. It is important that such failures, 

 or the absence of profitable results, or of but par- 

 tial success, and whether in first applications or 

 after several repetitions, shall be made as wel.l 

 known, In offering the following minutes of some 



