Litchfield enquirer., 1831-05-05
SEED CORN.

have been in the habit number of years, (says writer in an eastern paper,) of selecting the best car Of taco thGt grOsOs on e stalk of corn, and have found it annu- ally to improve to a very considerable in- crease. After pursuing the experiment for three years, and establishing the fact in my own mind, that by this method there was a constant and accumulative increase and improvement, I communicated the circum- stance to my neighbor she was quite in- credulous, and invited him to thorough experiment. We took each our field of e. qual quality ofsoil and richness, lying side by side, planted them on the same day, and titled them as nearly alike as we could ; the result was, that his, from ordinary seed, produced nearly forty bushels; while mine, from the selected and improved seed, gave me about sixty bushels per acre.
 KILLING CoRN.-Erastus Ware, of Sa- lem. Mass. says of an excellent field of corn, which obtained premium, that it was hood three times, but not hilled, as has been customary; and upon comparison of that not hilled, with small piece, which was in some degree hilled, after a severe gaic, he is satisfied that no advantage is ga!ned by milling as was formely practised. His opinion is that there is no benefit to be derived by milling corn,-and corn raised on flat surface, when the weeds arc de- stroyed and the ground kept loose. is by no means so likely to suffer by the drought, or to have its roots impeded in the search af- Ter their proper nutriment, as where the ground is drawn up around the stalk in a high and steep hill.
 HENS AND EGGs.-Every succeeding year after the third, the hen continues to shed her feathers later in the season and to lay few or no eggs in the moulting period, which IS sometimes protracted to two or three months. Old hens are seldom to be depended on for eggs in the winter and m general it is most profitable to dispose oi hens while they are yet eatable or saleable for that purpose. which is in the spring o1 the third year.
 Eggs willretain their moisture and good. ness three or four months or more, if the pores ot the shell be closed and rendered impervious to air by some oily or greasy application. Loudon says, we general, anoint them with mutton suet melted, ant set them on one end, wedged close togeth CT in bran, one layer above another, th, containing box being closely covered Laid on the side, the yolk will adhere |. the shell. They thus come into use at tho end of a considerable period of time, in '; state almost equal to new laid eggs for con. sumption, but ought not to be trusted fo, incubation. Or apply with brush solu. tion of gum-arabic to the shells, or i'm. nerse the eggs therein, let them dry, and afterwards pack them in dry. charcoal dust. This prevents their being affected by any alteration of oftemperature, and the power of charcoal as preservative against putres- cencs is well known.
 Buffon says that hen well fed and at- tended will produce upwards of one hun. !dred and fifty eggs in year, besides two broods of chickens. Hens, it is said should have free access, especially in win. ter, to slacked lime or oyster shells, ou they will produce few or no eggs, as some. thing ofa oalcareous nature is necessary ts afford the lime which constitutes the great. or part of egg shells. Wheathowever con. tains phosphate of lime, and if given te hens is said to supply the material indispen sable for the formation of egg shells.