Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1856-03-27
NO. IS.


coverer This implement is of easy con-
struction, consisting Of two pieces about
three feet long, not parallel, but rather wi
der behind than before, each piece having
three teeth, two harrow teeth and one cult
vator tooth, the latter being behind. The
harrow teeth run just within the edges Of the
furrow, pulverizing the soil and throwing
out any clods OF stones that may be therein,
while the cultivator tooth, being turned
slightly inward, follow on and completely
cover the corn and so ridge the row as to
prevent baking. When corn is high enough
| to thin, run one-horse board rlow,
one flrrow on each side, throwing the dit
from the corn, then thin to the distance de-
sired and chop out with hoes. This consti-
tutes the first working, unless the land has
previously become hard, in which ease a
thorough coultering should precede this
working The ridging up Of the middle of
the baulk by the mould board plow, will
keep that part mellow and free from grass,
until the second working is necessary. This
[ would give with the same plow, throwing
the dirt to the corn, and splitting out the
middle with the cultivator, unless the land
be very grassy, when [ would plow out the
whole baulk with the mould board Or shovel
plow. Of favorable season, this is suffi-
cient to make the crop, but if the land there
after receive dashing rain, or becomes
baked, I would stir it as it dries out with
cultivators. Some very judicious farmers
use the cultiyator more freely in the culti-
vation of the corn crop, but in my opinion
it is most Indifferent implement for any
but very clean and light land. For all foul
lands, and particularly low-grounds, which
throw up weeds rapidly, the mould-board
plow is decidedly the best implement ever
used. The objection sometimes urged a.
gainst it-that the land is liable to wash un-
der its use-is in my opinion founded in er-
ror. If the corn rows be properly laid off,
the ridging has rather tendency to prevent
washing Under this system the flow of
water is checked by these ridges, and much
of it is absorbed, while a dashing rain beats
down the level surface, prevents this absorr
ton, and consequently the land is washed
into gullies Corn cultivated with the mould
board plow, is also less liable to be blown
Ihare- a supps ala5
place. The coulter for hard land, the cul-
tivator for light and clean land, and tie
mould board plow for grass and foul growth.
It is seldom we have season or see a fed
which does not require the use all three.
When the grain is so far matured as to be
in the dough state, the stalks may be cut off
at the ground and shocked up. This opera
ton may be commenced much sooner than is
generally supposed, without injury to the
crop. Indeed experiment shows, that the
grain is heavier, when allowed thus to feed
from the stalk cut off, than when allowed TO
hang until fully dried. When the weather
is warm, it is we'll to make the shocks half
the usual size, by cutting eight rows ard
leaving eight alternately through the field
This permits that first cut, to cure partially
before the rest is added to it, and the shock
made full size. The fodder thus cured is
very nearly equal to top-foddcr, while the
labor of ridding the land Of crop under this
system, is not much over half that expend-
ed under the old system of top cutting and
blade pulling. If the farmer have force
enough to do so, the whole crop may be
hauled off the land on drags, and stacked
where it is to be used; but where this can
not be done, by stacking the corn in rows
and doubling the shocks when cured, the
strips thus occupied may be put in oats, and
the whole field brought into grass at the
same time.
! II am aware that the general system Of
cultivation recommended in this paper, is
nothing new" but on the contrary know
that the free use Of the mould-board plow
has gone somewhat out of date. [ can only
say that having tried every modern imple
ment now in use, [ am forced to the conclu-
sion that if this be the old system, no very
great Improvement has taken place of late
years, in the cultivation Of corn in Virginia.
[ profess to be welded to no system.
What | wish especially to impress upon
my brother farmers, is this /: Whatever work
you give your crop, let it be given at the
right time. Never let the crop show that
it wants work and remember that one lick
struck in, time is worth ten applied little
too late. ] Respectfully submitted.
r. w. Ell. NoLAND.
Ror, AlbcmaN County, Ia.