THE CULT IT AT Oil. 
E 
guano in the liill on boans and potatoes, and the effect 
was the same—to kill the seed. 
4. That superphosphate of lime, applied in the hill, 
is a powerful fertilizer, and abundantly remunerating 
to the cultivator of Indian corn. II..H. Eastman. 
Experiment in Suckering Corn. 
Messrs. Editors —In reply to the 11 inquiries and 
suggestions”- of Mr. Yeomans, “ upon stripping suck¬ 
ers from com,” you state that you know of no accurate 
experiments on the subject. I propose to furnish one 
approximating somewhat to the plan you suggest. 
Space was left in the middle of an acre of potatoes, 
for 100 hills of corn—ten hills each way. This was 
planted from the middle of an ear, five grains to each 
hill, and of uniform depth. It came up evenly, and 
grew without molestation until about six or eight inches 
high, when small suckers began to spring up from 
about the base of the main stalks, which I proceeded 
to remove from alternate rows, not by “ stripping” as 
that might lacerate the main stalk and injure its 
growth, but by cutting close down. As often as they 
attempted to grow, through the season, I removed 
them in this way; and when the season of harvesting 
came I had 50 hills of clean, upright growth, and 50 of 
a bushy straggling appearance, having the suckers all 
on as they grew. 
The former furnished large, well filled, and mostly 
sound ears, weighing 47A lbs. The latter, more ears, 
but hot as large or sound, weighing 47f lbs. 
I regret that the stalks were not weighed, hut very 
well remember concluding that the increase in good 
corn was more than balanced by the greater amount 
of stalks when left to grow natural, and the trouble of 
cutting the suckers. 
G athering them for green fodder, must he a labori¬ 
ous task, and I would recommend as a substitute sow¬ 
ing a small patch to corn, in drills, near the house.-- 
Suckers should be saved for fodder, and I prefer doing 
it at the usual time of cutting up corn. Those which 
get an early start will be tasseled out and some of 
them have ears on. (I have seen' one with two sound 
ears and one small one on.) 
As the hill is grasped with the hand, all the longer 
ones will be secured and severed with the main stalks; 
shorter ones fall by the way and should be gathered 
and placed inside the stout as it is being formed. 
i\ r ow, as to the theory of Mr. Scram, that the tassel 
of the sucker supplies pollen to the ear on the main 
stalk while forming, I would say it strikes one as ex¬ 
tremely plausible, and being one of that class that pos¬ 
sesses iittle intelligence upon the subject, but desirous 
of acquiring more, I would inquire how it happens that 
a grain of corn planted remote from all others, though 
growing vigorously and throwing up suckers’ all about 
the original stalk, should produce onty imperfect ears 7 
I have often heard experienced farmers say it was an 
indication of a good crop to see corn throw out nume¬ 
rous suckers. 
The experiments proposed, to ascertain facts upon 
tins' subject, admit of this objection. If suckers do sup¬ 
ply pollen to growing ears, then pulling from alternate 
■rows would leave suckers sufficient to accomplish what 
is claimed for them. Geo. W. Coffin. Amenia. 
Heavy Profits of Cleanliness. 
LTIIOUGII but little sectarian in feeling, we 
have a high respect for most of the religious 
sects of the age ; yet we think all of them 
might make a decided improvement in their 
creeds, by embodying another article requiring strict 
cleanliness in all their communicants. We once 
knew an eminently pious lady, on whom this very sub¬ 
ject was strongly enforced, with practical results, 
through a dream. She was not only an inveterate 
smoker, but suffered the fumes to operate as an antag¬ 
onistic to cleanliness. She dreamed of her own death, 
and.arrival at the gales of paradise; but the register¬ 
ing angel, to her astonishment and consternation, was 
unable to find her name. While just on the brink of 
despair, it was at last discovered, haying been almost 
wholly obscured by a thick cloud of tobacco-smoke ! 
This is a literal fact, and this lady afterwards became 
widely known for her interest in the cause of Chris¬ 
tianity., 
It may seem strange to some, that we place this 
quality in such distinct prominence. This is because 
its benefits, and the evils of its contrary vice, are so lit¬ 
tle felt, It is only a proof of the wide prevalence of 
the evil. In a moral point of view we have little to 
say, except the simple suggestion of the impossibility, 
almost, of becoming familiar with the rubbish and filth 
of an unswept house and unwashed linen, without be¬ 
coming at the same time too little averse to the rubbish 
and dust of sluggish morality. For how can one be. ex¬ 
pected to attain the mental discipline required for 
moral purity, who is too lazy to preserve a cleanly 
person 7 
It is however, in an economical point of view, that 
our present remarks are chiefly intended. We have 
heard farmers dissuaded from cultivating neatness, as 
something unnecessary, and urged to devote all their 
time to such labor as will yield immediate profit. In¬ 
stead of being embellished with shrubs and shade trees, 
their door-yards must be marked with the ruts of loaded 
carts ; soap must be economized on wearing apparel, 
and scrub-brooms on the dairy and kitchen-floor. Now, 
we hope none of our readers will ever listen to such ad¬ 
vice for a moment. We do not believe a word of it.— 
We have had occasion to visit, both privately and offi¬ 
cially, -many of the best farms in the country,—those 
which have proved pre-eminent for their heav}' profits 
by good management,—and without a single exception, 
they were specimens of neatness throughout. The door- 
yards were not covered with chips, barrel-hoops, cast¬ 
off shoes, or puddles of dish-water ; the barn-yard was 
not reeking with the fumes of manure heaps wasting 
through summer in the hot sun; nor were the fences 
lined with thistles, briers, and burdocks; but every 
part showed the complete control which was exercised 
by the touch of a master, not only in raising large 
crops, but in keeping out all intrtiders, whether ani¬ 
mals, weeds, or refuse matter. The same energy which 
preserved a neat ornamental lawn, kept in motion the 
•clock-work of an excellent management. 
(XrSttS 
