SECRETARY'S REPORT. 175 



ful hue. The more intense the drouth, the more dilligcntly should 

 the ground be stirred." 



In some sections of the county, corn is frequently injured by 

 early frosts. There are two ways in which the evil may be partial- 

 ly obviated. First, in selecting the corn for seed. It is well 

 known that corn grown in the northern limits of our country, is 

 dwarfed in growth, and of early maturity. Hence, every degree 

 of latitude south from our high limits, shows a larger growth and 

 later perfection. Corn grown in New Hampshire and planted as 

 far south as Maryland, will ripen several weeks earlier than varie- 

 ties originally raised there. This statement is only a comparative 

 suggestion. Corn grown in Bingham, and carried into the south 

 part of the county has been found to come to maturity a week 

 earlier than the kinds raised there for a number of years. And if 

 farmers upon low situations in the southern towns of the county, 

 would make some effort to obtain seed corn from Moscow or Bing- 

 ham once in four or five years, the result would be a variety of corn 

 which would ripen several days earlier than that grown in their 

 own vicinity. But if this is not practicable each farmer can do 

 much to make his corn ripen earlier, by gathering the most forward 

 ears from the field before the corn is harvested, to plant the suc- 

 ceeding year. 



Second, care and judgment in securing the corn is important. 

 Some farmers believe that as long as the stalk remains green, the 

 corn should stand ; the ear gaining more in weight than is lost on 

 the fodder. The proper way, however, is to cut up the corn as 

 soon as the kernel is glazed or becomes somewhat hardened, bind 

 into small bundles, and cure in shocks. If cured in this manner, 

 the fodder is of excellent quality and flavor. Some practice cut- 

 ting the tops for fodder early in the season and then let the ear 

 remain upon the stock until quite late, but the difference in the 

 weight of corn is more than made up by the loss in the value of 

 the stalks, where fodder is an object, as it is with most farmers. 



It is an almost invariable custom to plant beans and pumpkins 

 with corn, yet many follow the plan who regard it as wrong, and 

 others are of an opposite opinion. I have heard farmers remark that 

 beans raised with corn cost one dollar, and others insist that they 

 can be raised for twelve and a half cents per bushel. One of the 

 most successful corn raisers in the county, who has, upon an aver- 

 age fifteen acres planted, grows pumpkins but not beans with it. If 

 pumpkins and beans are grown with corn, it makes a great amount 



