October i, 1881.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
3*3 
evidently gives the first 
tweh 
aniran 
buahc 
lb. in 
busho 
light 
an ex 
in N« 
per c 
75 bi 
lent 
deep 
olden Sioux " 
rge cob with 
ryoily. This 
for fattening 
d tillage 130 
eighing 9,210 
appear above ground, any (j or 7 inches, we give them 
a top dressing of ashes and lime or superphosphate, * 
heaping a little earth round each plant, and convert- 
ing as it were the surface of the field iuto so many 
small hillocks. YVe then run a horso hoe between the 
rows keeping the land free from weeds, and the same 
time preventing the soil from caking or hardening. 
We do this about two or ihree times. In about ten 
weeks the crop shows sign of maturing, and is gener- 
ally off the ground in about 90 to 100 days from 
date of sowing." 
With regard to maize cultivation, Professor Sym- 
monds gives the following bints : — 
" After thorough preparation of the soil by deep and 
subsoil ploughing, and the addition of such amend- 
ments as analyses may prove to be necessary, the corn 
should be planted o«t at slight depths in hills 4 feet 
apart in every direction, which will admit of more 
thorough cultivation in both directions than if planted 
Up row.-. I cannot but suggest that in the final pre- 
paration of the soil before planting, it, could be better 
to run the subsoil plough at a full depth in sticking 
out the. rows ; this having been done in both direc- 
tions, will leave the intersections visible for the planting 
of the corn From the peculiarity of this plough the 
soil will be left in a more divided condition than if 
turned over by the surface plough alone. In these 
intersections ihe corn may be planted. When three 
inches high, the lifting subsoil plough which will affect 
the soil at the surface for two feet on each side of 
this line of travel, should bo run in one direction 
half way between the rows of hills, thus disintegrat- 
ing the soil in the centre to the full depth, disturb- 
ing it at the surface to the very plants, gradually 
lessening as it approaches them, so that none of the 
young roots are abraded by its action. It will now 
be se*n that immediately under the corn is a deep 
disintegration readily accessible to the roois, while the 
space between the hills is thoroughly pulverised and 
deep ned as it recedes from the bills, so that the 
toots trill not bo inclined to travel surface-ways. At 
Ufl proper tiino for a second ploughing, the lifting 
subsoil plough may bo run in the opposite direction 
half way between the rows, thus rendering the soil 
pulverulent to a ureat depth at a later stasjo of the 
growth. Tho aftor cultivation may be conducted by 
the universal cultivator set the whole width ol" four 
feot or so near it, as not to disturb tho plants, and 
to such depth as will keep tho entire surfaco free 
from wcimIs ami open for the admission of the atom- 
spin ire. The running of this cultivator onc» in each 
dilution will bo found to bo more efficient than tho 
ordinary \no of the hoo, ami at tho same time »ccur- 
ifig (lit cultivation. 
• No I K. — In the last report on ruin opoiationn, 
OftWnpora Farm, full infnrmntion ia given as to cost 
and Hindu of preparation of superphosphate. 
" At the first application of the cultivator or lifting 
plough, stimulating manures may be applied to each 
hill with safety, and we have known many instances 
where 100 bushels of shelled corn per acre have been 
produced by the application of two ounces of im- 
proved superphosphate of lime to each bill at the first 
hoeing or first cultivation. The result seems to be 
larger when stimulants 'are thus applied, than when 
placed in the soil before planting. Indeed when guano 
or any other stimulating manure is used, it should 
be at the first disturbance of the soil after the corn 
i« above ground rather than before the planting of 
the seed. Some growers prefer to plant the corn in 
hills as already named running a Universal Cultivator, 
with the two rear share-teeth reversed between the 
rows when tho corn is three inches high. This throws 
a light furrow from each row, in which special manure 
may be applied; a small subsoil plough should then 
be run with the flat side towards the corn, the wings 
of the plough removed, so tliat the lifting action of 
the nose will only be applied to the soil. This 
should be repeated on each side of the row so as to 
disturb the soil to a depth of ten inches before the 
roots are sufficiently grown to be abraded, and this 
loosening will thoroughly mix the manure with the 
soil. The rear teeth of the cultivator may then be 
reversed and run again between the rows so as to 
replace this narrow furrow, leaving the soil fiat. In 
place of a second hoeing at the usual time, the horse- 
hoe may be run in the opposite direction, clearing the 
ground of weeds and leaving the soil clean and pulv- 
erulent." 
The high yield aud general excellence of Ameiican 
maize may be ascribed to : — 
I. Careful selection of seed. 
II. Judicious and complete preparation of the soil 
previous to planting the corn. 
III. Deep ploughing and careful after cultivation, 
such as elimination of weeds, &c. 
IV. Liberal manuring with organic manure followed 
by top dressings of mineral manure. 
In Indian agriculture these conditions are conspicu- 
ous by their entire absence. 
Selection of' Seed.— Obviously the best method is to 
select the best aud healthiest plants in each field, 
and from these plants take the largest and best filled 
cobs, two or three years' careful selection with even 
tbe most degenerate country-seed would result in a 
quality (provided all other conditions be maintained) 
bearing four, live, aud six cobs to each plant. 
Preservation of Sctd. — The natives of this country 
do not attempt to keep their maize seed in store more 
than one year, and during this time it is kept on 
the cobs, and the cobs covered with ashes in cartbeu 
air-tight vessels — to prevent insects and ants 'attack- 
ing the grain, the months and covers of the vessels 
should be smeared over with carbolic acid. 
Mr. Rober son, Madras Agricultural Department, 
suggests that "to prevent crows and squirrels. &c, 
destroying the seed, tar it before sowing. Take 1J 
pint of water, 1/12 pint of tar mix together, and when 
cool pour the solution over the seed. After dusting 
sand, ashes, or sawdust, to prevent tho seed adhering 
together, the grain is ready for sowing." 
Ploughing and QuHiuatioa. — The best plough for 
India is tlie Kaisar, aud the changes whiob have been 
rung on it by different patentee* in various parts of 
tho country. The Kaisur, the Ryot, the Kasl tkar, 
&c, are all modifications of M. M. Ransomes Sims 
and Head, primitive and Egyptian ploughs costing in 
England about £110. The patentees have, however, 
modified thuir inventions to suit the requirements of 
tho ryot and his cattle, they give a deep tilth with 
a light draught and are very effective, tearing out 
i weeds, roots, &0>, with great ease. This form of 
plough varies in cost from l!.">-j to R9. Five or six 
