THE CULTURE OF CORN. 89 



horse-hoe, which scrapes the soil first one way and then the 

 other, and may go within one inch of the plant with safety. 

 This constant cultivation is cheap. I have gone over an acre 

 in one hour, working close to one side of the row, and have 

 returned, working the other side of the row the next day, 

 thoroughly finishing five acres a day. This costs thirty cents 

 an acre, counting man and horse ; and twenty cents an acre, 

 counting the man only ; for the horse costs the same whether 

 he works, or stands still. Eight workings may be given for 

 one dollar and sixty cents an acre, and three bushels of corn 

 extra will pay for them. Is there any farmer who will say 

 that this three bushels cannot be thus gained on the crop ? 

 By such constant working the corn may be planted in drills, 

 and twenty-five to fifty per cent more plants grown. Small 

 varieties, such as do not reach more than eight or nine feet 

 high, may be grown in rows three feet apart and eighteen 

 inches apart in the row, with two stalks in each stand. This 

 will give nineteen thousand three hundred and sixty stalks 

 to the acre. If each stalk bears one ear, and one hundred 

 and ninety-three ears make only one bushel of shelled corn, 

 there will be one hundred bushels per acre. There is a large 

 margin in this for allowances, and yet a possibility of this 

 large yield. But how is every stalk to be made to bear an 

 ear ? one may ask. I answer, by breeding the corn as one 

 breeds his animals. Would a shepherd permit a lot of barren 

 ewes in his flock, or the dairyman keep barren cows in his 

 herd ? Then the corn-grower should not suffer barren corn- 

 plants in his field. The perfect corn-plant bears a staminate 

 or male flower (the tassel), and a pistillate or female flower 

 (the silk). The imperfect plant has the tassel and no silk : 

 it is worthless, and cumbers the ground, producing no grain. 

 How shall these be prevented ? By cutting off the imperfect 

 tassel, emasculating the barren male, that it may not impreg- 

 nate other plants, and perpetuate its kind. Leave only in 

 the field perfect plants to fertilize perfect plants. In time 

 the imperfect seed will be bred out, and every stalk bear its 

 ear. Nay, more : by breeding first, each stalk may be made 

 to produce two or more ears, as the habit may be formed. 

 Nature is plastic in the hands of the skilful, patient man ; 

 and he. who can produce and perpetuate the wonderful variety 

 of ornamental flowers which we have can surely do as much 



