1816. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
115 
is called a shovel plow is used, and when properly made, 
it is an excellent tool. The wings of the share should 
not be too widely spread, as this throws the ground too 
much into ridges; it should be calculated to cut or stir 
the ground without moving it much to the right or left. 
A good plow of this kind loosens the soil much more 
effectively than a common plow, leaves it lighter, and 
not thrown into ridges. Besides the objection of too 
much ridging the ground, the common plow leaves the 
substratum even heavier than it was before, instead of 
making it loose and light. 
For any ground on which it is proper to raise Indian 
corn, level cultivation is decidedly preferred. It expo¬ 
ses less surface to be dried by the sun and air, more 
readily receives and retains moisture, permits the ex¬ 
tension of the roots over the whole soil by which the 
plant is better nourished, and better strengthened against 
the force of winds. When ground is thrown into sharp 
ridges, as is done by the plow, many of the horizontal 
roots are scorched by the sun, and are necessarily so 
short as to afford the plant but little support as braces. 
In cultivating sward, the sod ought not to be turned 
up the first season. The tools mentioned will sufficient¬ 
ly loosen the soil without bringing the grass to the sur¬ 
face, and the gases evolved by decomposition are not 
wasted in the air, but are taken up by the growing 
crop. 
In the early stages of the growth of the crop, the soil 
can hardly be tilled too much. To keep down the weeds, 
which should be the primary object, some of the im¬ 
plements of culture should be often passed through the 
soil, till the crop becomes so large as to obtain full pos¬ 
session of the ground. 
Harvesting .—The fact is well established that the 
aggregate value of the corn-crop is greatest, when it is 
cut and properly cured in shock. The only objection 
to the practice is the difficulty sometimes experienced 
in drying. It sometimes happens that there is an unu¬ 
sual prevalence of wet weather immediately after cut¬ 
ting up the crop, which induces mouldiness in the 
grain and injures the fodder. Some varieties of corn 
are also cured with more difficulty in this way than 
others. This objection applies to those kinds in which 
the ears are produced close to the ground, and which 
have besides a large number of short suckers and leaves, 
that prevent the circulation of the air and hold the 
dampness. 
Care should be taken that the shocks are not made too 
large, and that they are Set as openly as possible at bot¬ 
tom. It may be observed, however, that with the 
tall varieties cultivated at the south and west, these pre¬ 
cautions are hardly necessary. If the corn is rather 
green when cut, it is a good mode to make but a part 
of the shocks at a time, leaving a sufficient number of 
rows to make the shocks of the desired size; and when 
the first is sufficiently dried, the remainder is cut and 
added. The shocks should stand to dry for a few days, 
if the weather will permit, before they are bound. In 
binding, the band should be placed as near the top of 
the shock as practicable, both for the better shedding of 
rain and allowing the shock to remain more open to the 
air. 
The fodder of corn when well cured in this manner, 
is an excellent article for feeding cows or other stock 
in winter. An acre of stout corn is considered equal to 
an acre of good grass, in the value it affords in stock¬ 
feeding, exclusive of the grain. 
ARTESIAN WELLS. 
less gravel, pebbles, and occasionally a small boulder of 
granular quartz or hornblende; this bed varies in thick¬ 
ness from ten to fifly feet, rarely less than about twenty. 
A bed of quick sand filled with water, is usually found 
after passing the blue clay, and in many instances the 
water rises several feet from the fountain found in the 
quick-sand, while in some it does not rise at all. In 
no instance have I heard of a rock stratum being dis¬ 
covered in digging. In many instances, after digging 
several feet in the blue clay, the experiment of boring 
down to the quick-sand has been tried with success, and 
in others it failed of obtaining a supply of water. Now 
if some one practically acquainted with the necessary 
implements and all the manipulations in prosecuting the 
work of boring for water, in a country the features of 
whose geological formation resemble ours, we shall be 
highly gratified to receive a full report from him. 
The principal difficulty in the work, will, as I appre¬ 
hend, be in passing through beds of quick-sand. I am 
full in the faith that water may, in most instances in 
this vicinity, be made to rise above the surface by 
boring not to exceed three hundred feet. 
Yours, &c., C. Bryant. 
Princeton, Bureau Co., III., Jan., 1846. 
We should be pleased to receive information in re¬ 
lation to the subject of the above communication.—E d. 
SEED CORN. 
John S. Yeomans, Columbia, Ct., gives an account of 
of some experiments he has made in selecting seed-corn. 
He sums up the conclusions to which he arrives as 
follows: 
“ 1. That there is a tendency in corn to degenerate— 
that a variety after having been planted for a series of 
years, is not likely to ear well or to fill out on the ear, 
though the stalk may be luxuriant. 
“2d. That an early variety, taken from a higher lati¬ 
tude and cultivated here, will increase in the size of the 
ears, be more prolific in grain, with a less quantity of 
stalks.” 
Mr. Yeomans says his principal object in this com¬ 
munication “ is to impress upon the minds of agricultu¬ 
rists, the importance of occasionally changing their 
seed corn.” In reference to this, we remark that we 
should observe the same rule in changing “seed corn” 
that we would in changing the breed of any live stock— 
that is, if that which is better can be had, change and 
get it, but not otherwise. We would not however dis¬ 
courage a trial which need not involve much risk, in or¬ 
der to ascertain whether a real improvement would be 
made by adopting a change. That a variety of corn, or 
any plant, has actually “ a tendency to degenerate” in 
consequence merely of being cultivated “ for a series 
of years ” in the same neighborhood or district, we 
cannot believe. It is true a variety of corn may be cho¬ 
sen which is not adapted to the soil and climate—it 
may be a larger variety than is proper for a thin soil, 
or it may require a longer season than belongs to the 
locality—nevertheless, if any portion of it should 
ripen, and a judicious selection be made for seed, each 
succeeding crop will be better and better fitted to the 
situation—it becomes acclimated. Instances are not 
wanting to show that every kind of grain or vegetable 
may be greatly improved by selecting from year to 
year the best specimens for seed. As to bringing com 
from the north, we should decidedly prefer that, to 
taking it from the south. 
Mr. Tucker— Can you give us any information on 
the subject of Artesian wells? We have large tracts of 
land in our region of country which are destitute of 
running water, particularly in a dry season, which in¬ 
convenience I believe will at some future time be reme¬ 
died by bringing water to the surface of the ground by 
boring. In digging wells in this vicinity, after passing- 
through the soil and a subsoil, usually of a clayey loam, 
we usually come to a bed of blue clay between ten and 
twenty feet from the surface in which is found more or 
GIVING AGRICULTURAL PAPERS. 
The Chittenden Agricultural Society (Yt.) has adopt¬ 
ed the plan of giving each member of the society an 
agricultural paper. The president of this society, L. 
G. Bingham, Esq., writes in reference to this plan as 
follows :—“ Our new plan of giving an agricultural pa¬ 
per to every subscriber to our society in this county, 
works admirably, and more than doubles the number ol 
our members.” 
