Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-12-04
For the Boon's Lick Times. ~,-
AGRICULTURAL.
OCCID tai EssAyIsr.
mo. 81
COR N

our staples, being of itself ''the staff OF
life" for man lin civilized life) and beast,
deserves an elaborate consideration, and
will be viewed in respect to the various
soils proper for its production---the prep.
aration of the ground, from the stumps
in tmbered land and from the sod Of the
prare-to the cribbing of the crops at
maturity. ... ... ........ .., ..
There is little native soil in Missouri
that will not produce from twenty to fifty
bushels of corn per acre, as an average
crop, and, although, in the best parts of
the State, fifty or eighty bushels have been
and are now grown, this cannot be con-
sidered otherwise than over an average
crop. Even one hundred bushels and up
wards have been raised to the acre, but
this is far from common. consider forty
bushels as the average yearly crop through
out this State, grown upon the natural
soil, unassisted by manure of any kind.
We often hear and read accounts. from
the Eastern States, of hundred to hun
dred and twenty bushels grown on the
acre, but these occasional productions are
from an earth highly enriched by manures
heavily applied to the land generally, and
to the hills particularly, and are produced
that relations of them may appear upon
the registers Of the agricultural fairs and
exhibitions, yearly held in that section of
the union-for eclat-for obtaining the
"silver cup" or "medal," awarded to the
growers of extraordinary crops. They
are mere units, and far from indicating
generally improved agriculture.
Upon timbered land, intended for the
growth of corn, the standing trees must
be belted or cut around, at a convenient
distance above the roots, between the 18th
June and the LIST July Of the year pre-
vious. Timber thus killed will, within ten
or twelve days thereafter, exhibit the ap-
pearance of fire having run up through
out the branches, singing the leaves, from
root TO top. This application of the axe
will not injure such as are intended for
rails, but trunk or root-sprouting thereafter
will be prevented, if the work is done in
the manner and at the time indicated. This
being done, cut down mot grub up) the
Papaw, Hazel and such underground as
encumbers the ground, the sprouting of
which year after year following, will be
checked, if done within the above men,
toned dates. Many farmers, regardless of
the season or time Of the year, dig up, by
the roots, the shrubs requiring removal, but,
even after all this labor, the roots extracted
by the grubbing hoe, which adhere to the
stalks dug up, bear but small proportion
to those scattered beneath the surface of
the earth, which are left TO sprout and
grow during many successive seasons, and
to call for the frequent repetition of the
use of the axe or hoe. A farmer must be
hard pushed for work-sadly wanting en-
ployment-who will spend day in grub
bling fourth of an acre when he could
shrub six or light times the amount of the
same kind of underground in the same
time.
Shrubbing having been finished let all
the brush and trash that is upon the ground
be burnt in heaps, kindling fire first and
then throwing upon the brush heaps all
that is not intended to be reserved rs fuel
Get the ground clear for the plough as
soon as practicable, after the summer har-
vest is ended and crops secured.
1t is important that the sod should be
turned over during the fall or winter, as
opportunity offers. having an axeman (be-
sides the ploughmaD with every plough
at work, that, whenever root is struck,
il may be cul and thrown out of the way
upon the ploughed ground, to be subse.
quent'y gathered upon the final clearing up
Of the ground. Never lack plough for
root, Except the main trunk roots) bu,
hold on that the axeman may do his part
and keep the way clear, that the plough
may pursue its work, without impeachment,
After breaking up, harrow over the ground,
following mot crossing) the burrows, that
the sod may be torn and pressed down
as il lays, without being turned over. Then |
cross the ground with the plough. cutting
the roots and narrowing in the same man.
ncr as before.
l know that this method of fitting land
for cultivation will appear to some as re,
quiring more work than is necessary, but.
if followed strictly, it will richly repay for
it.. in the ease with which the ground will
be laid off for planting, and by the little |
labor required for its cultivation, during |
the first and several subsequent seasons.
as well as by the heavy crops produced |