Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-03-21

convince any one who will try It, that tart
or stubble which is turned under in Febru-
AIRY will rot as soon as that which is plowed
earlier, while it is not liable to the injuries
mentioned above.
Land from which crop Of corn was taken
the year previous should not be broken be-
fore March, but hold that it is bad econ
omy, except upon land Of great fertility. to
tax 1t with two consecutive crops of corn
1t is not only too exhausting TO the land, but
is always attended with more difficulty in
the cultivation from grass and weeds-an
important feature in the production of
good corn crop. The plowing should be
deep and thoroughly done; and, If practica-
bic. aub-soil pow should follow the ordina-
~ piow, for upon tbe complete preparation
ofthe land depends, in great degree, ths
success of the crop. The planting should
not be done until the ground becomes dry
and warm enough to insure the speedy ger
mination of the seed, so as to make good
stand, to avoid replanting the vacancies, and
sometimes furrowing ont entirely, which, if
done without rebreaking, seldom produces
good crop, and is difficult to cultivate. 1t
would be infinitely better for the farmer to
attend to some other Job until the proper
season arrives.
An important point in this matter is the
method of planting. There are, as | con-
ceiye, but two definite methods of planting
corn, one Of which is by crossing off the land
with plow, the required width, and plant
ing the crop so as to form rows each way,
and the other is to drill it. Drilling is either
- L., al
merous kinds of seed drills now in use.
From three years experience in planting
with Barnhl's patent corn-planter, prefer
that TO any other method of putting in my
crop.
The advantages afforded BY this method
are:
lst. After am ready to chock off for
planting, can dispense with three. .fourths
Of the dborers and t,Oo-thirds of the horses
and the planter may from this cause alone
be enabled to prepare his land thoroughly
while the season is arriving when he may
plant with safety, and he can thus be enabled
to wait upon the weather and for the pre-
paration Of the land, which, if he does not,
he will seldom fail to regret The land
should in all cases be FIRST narrowed before
the planter. consider the proper time
for putting in this crop in Kentucky is about
the middle of April; ard in most of the
land from the Goth of April to the 5th or
even to the 10th Of May, would not be too
| late.
Another reason in favor of the drill sys-
tenn with this machine is, that it deposits the
| grain at intervals of -about l2 to Ia inches
! apart, in rows say 4 feet to feet inches
apart. The plants should be thinned out,
so as to leave but one stalk to each deposit.
The corn is thus regularly dispersed over
the ground, whereas, if in hill, the amount
of stalks on the land would be about the
same but the more uniform distribution of
the drilled corn over the surface of the land,
L am confident, will produce the largest
yield, and if properly cultivated will with
stand the effects of drought better than corn
planted in hills, while the drilled corn can
be cultivated easier and in much better ro-
tatiou. For instance, if the entire crop is
one field, your workings will always be- in
regular succession from one side TO the other.
The period between workings to all parts
Of the field will be regular. Otherwise, if
in hill to be plowed both ways, when the
field is once plowed over, say from east to
west, you turn across and are obliged to re-
work part Of the ,orn Immediately Nth
part that has not been gorked for or 10
days.
The system of cultivation that pursue,
and which | believe as successful as any
other, is, as soon as the corn is planted and
before it is up, if you choose to run twice in
arrow with one-horse Rounder or Livingston
county plow, the bar side to the corn.
| start half my teams thus, when they
+ have proceeded this way long enough for
the land TO want stirring again, start the
, second half, to follow with Cutivators, al.c
/ twice in row, which levels the ridges down
. As soon as third working is needed, ol
when those who used plows in the first eass
get over the crop. start them with Cutiva
tors, also twice in a row. b. this time the
corn should be thoroughly and CAREFUL,
thinned before the fourth working, which
should be done with shovel plows. Thos,
who thin the corn should always carry hoe
a for the purpose Of cutting briaH, elder,
# sprouts &C., that may have escaped tn
plow. The fifth process, which is apt to b
= the last, should be with Cultiyators twice i
arrow.
a You now have the crop laid by, as th
,e term is, with the ground in level condition
,e to avoid washing, and in a good condition
ID to receive small grain in the fall or spring.
o. We have now come to period when "
10 await the process of maturing, and the fur
rk ther management of the crop will vary al
e. cording to tie design to feed to the variou
v. kind Of stock but it is good economy, q
o. soon as it is sufficiently ripened, to cut an
n. set in stacks Cf in hills) of l6 hills square
m or, if in drills, little less than that prepo
IA ton, as there is apt to be more on the groun
unless carefully thinned. There is NOR
e. danger from too early cutting than too late
nt and all corn intended to be cribbed shoul
is be secured by the FIRST of fJanuary-otherwis
.s- it is very liable to receive material injur
ho before it can be housed.
be The stacks or shocks of fodder should
= doubled after the corn is shucked out b
TO laying about one-third on the ground an
setting the remainder carefully around.
/ This method saving proyender for stoc
ny in winter. is BY far the most speedy an
nd cheap that can be pursued.
,ut Wonderful things are done now ada,
nj NJ, IT,