this manner, if not perfectly mellow and smooth, 
it is either cross-harrowed or gone over with a 
two-horse cultivator lengthwise the furrow, which 
most effectually accomplishes the object. 
The ground should be plowed thus deep for two 
reasons. First, in the spring, after planting, and 
while the corn is coming up, should the season be 
wet and cold, the water settles underneath the 
furrow, which prevents the -seed from rotting, or 
the plant from drowning, as is frequently the case. 
And second, in the summer, should it be very dry, 
as is frequently the case after a wet spring, the 
root of the plant penetrates the deep mellow earth 
to where the fermentation of the manure and sod 
creates a moisture that steadily forces the corn on 
to maturity. 
Corn ground, however, should not be plowed 
so deep as to throw up subsoil, that being of too 
cold a nature—but for wheat is highly beneficial. 
I mark my corn ground both ways, the rows 
about three feet four inches apart, taking great 
care to have them perfectly straight, that the cul¬ 
tivator or plow may be less liable to disturb the 
hills while tending it. In planting, five or six 
kernels should be put in a hill, and covered with 
mellow earth—dry lumps and stones are hard 
things for a tender plant to contend with. Some 
farmers might think six kernels too many; and 
so it would be if all grew ,• but they do not al¬ 
ways, and if they do, it is easier to pull out than 
put in. It is well to mix plentifully with pump¬ 
kin seed, as they injure the crop but little, and 
are thought by most farmers to go far to lessen 
the expense of raising the corn. 
When the corn is sufficiently advanced to see 
the rows, it is passed through, twice in a row both 
ways, with a one horse, steel-tooth cultivator. 
This destroys the grass and weeds, if any, between 
the hill, and a few men will soon eradicate what 
remains in the hills. It is then dressed with 
about a table spoonful of composition, of equal 
parts, lime, plaster and ashes, which serves, when 
sufficiently moistend by rain, to drive the grub 
and wire-worm from the hill, if any there be, and 
hasten rapidly forward the plant. In about two or 
three weeks it is passed through again, either with 
a cultivator or light plrnv, both -ways, twice in each 
row. This time, one hand with a hoe to cut an 
occasional weed or thistle, and to straighten up 
any hills that may be disturbed by the horse or 
plow, will do all that is necessary. When it is 
about, or a short time previous to, its tasseling 
out, it is plowed one and sometimes both ways, 
deep, turning the furrow toward the hill. This, 
with a little labor with the hand hoe, will cause 
the stalk to throw out its brace roots higher up, 
which keeps it in a perpendicular position, and 
aids very materially in facilitating the cutting, 
should that be performed, or in husking, should it 
not. It is then left to ripen. 
When the ears are about three-fourths glazed, 
it is cut up near the ground, and from thirty to 
forty hills put in a shock, and tied securely at the 
top with a band of straw—not with grass, -weeds, 
or a stalk, as many do—and left to cure. 
It may be thought by many farmers, that the 
period for harvesting which has been mentioned 
is too early to secure the greatest weight of grain • 
to which may be said in answer, that the stalk be¬ 
ing separated from the root while green, much of 
its vitality will be drawn by the unripened ear, 
and bring it to maturity. Consequently, in most 
cases, a greater gain is realised than when endan¬ 
gered longer by early frost.. 
Corn raised after the above manner, frequently 
yields me-* bushels of shelled per acre; and 
the stalks are equal for fodder to from one and a 
half to two tons hay per acre. C. Lansingville, 
Tompkins Co., April 23, 1853. 
Practical Farming—No. 2. 
Mr. Tucker —In my last, I told you that it 
was better to stock land lightly—better to have 
six cattle increase 1,800 lbs. in six months, than 
to put eighteen on the same land, to increase the 
same number of pounds. But 300 lbs. per beast, 
can not be gained by six months pasturage, unless 
the cattle have been well kept through the previ¬ 
ous winter; but if fed from ten to twenty bushels 
of corn, oat or barley meal, according to age—the 
youngest of course requiring least, the rapidity 
with which they will take on fat when turned out 
to grass will astonish every one not accustomed 
to feeding cattle. 
I also stated that grass, when lightly pastured, 
was a cheap way of improving worn-out lands. I 
repeat, it is a cheap way; but the fertility thus 
required will not last like barn-yard manure, 
provided the stock kept in the yard has been well 
fed. If fed nothing but straw, as is the practice 
of many farmers, it would be better to keep no 
stock, and to supply the straw at once for ma¬ 
nure, but let from ten to fifteen bushels of meal 
be fed to a two-year old steer, even with straw 
for the first three months—say to first of March— 
with good hay or cornstalks afterwards, and he 
will, at the average of prices for years past, bring, 
after being grass-fed, from $10 to $15 for the 
meal—that is, he will bring in market, at the end 
of July or early in August, $10 to $15 more than 
if fed no meal. 
Sheep do much better on straw and grain than 
cattle. If fed with good bright straw, with a 
bushel of corn to the hundred sheep per day, or 
its equivalent in oats, barley, buckwheat or peas, 
—(50 lbs. of the latter I think as good as 60 lbs. 
of corn)'—they will continue to gain from the time 
they are put in the yard until the first of March, 
when they ought to be fed with hay. Still I am 
opposed to feeding straw, as it lessens the quanti¬ 
ty of manure, and enough more hay and grain can 
be raised by making all the straw into manure, to 
feed more than all the straw would feed. Besides 
this, the straw is required for bedding for the an¬ 
imals. Feed is lost on cattle and sheep, if only 
wet and dirty yards are provided for them to lie 
in; neither will lie down in such, until they are 
so much exhausted that they can stand no 
longer; and of course they cannot thrive unless 
made comfortable. To keep stock profitably, 
they must be well cared for, and be provided with 
dry, clean beds. 
By the above mode of feeding, manure enough 
can be made to increase the productiveness of the 
farm from year to year; and if our farmers would 
only make all the manure they can on their own 
farms, they would' have no occasion to resort to 
guano or chemical manures. It may perhaps be 
profitable to import guano, and to apply to che¬ 
mists to manufacture manures, in Great Britain, 
where produce enough cannot be raised to feed the 
population; but not so in this country, where we 
raise a large surplus for exportation, and a great 
deal that is worse than wasted in manufacturing 
