160 STATE BOAKD OF AGKICULTUKE. 



Artluir Ilayden was next called upon, who read the following essay on 



CORN CULTURE. 



Our knowledge of maize begins with the discovery and conquest of America 

 by the Spaniards, who ruthlessly invaded and ransacked the country in search 

 of wealth of gold and silver, little knowing they were trampling beneath their 

 feet, in their eager march through the fields of Indian corn, the greatest treas- 

 ure the new world held in store. 



But some were observing enough to note the manner of its culture. Hav- 

 ing no domestic animals, nor any knowledge of iron, the work was all done 

 by hand, and with the rudest implements. The women, upon whom devolved 

 most of the labor, dug up the soil with stakes hardened in the fire, and after 

 the seed was planted all further responsibility of the crop Avas placed upon 

 Dame Nature. 



In these labors the women of the village all joined, and when autumn was 

 come with sere and yellow leaf, they together sought the field, and husked and 

 bore the grain to the common garner, where it was free to supply the needs of 

 all. Under such conditions the crop was probably vastly inferior, both in qual- 

 ity and quantity, to the vigorous plant and bountiful yield of our more favored 

 times. Having spread to other lands, still, as the child of America, it is found 

 in greatest abundance and perfection in its native land. 



It is the object of this paper to discuss very briefly the advantages and meth- 

 ods of its culture. 



The true basis of successful farming is to secure from year to year larger 

 crops at less expense per bushel, and an increasing fertility of soil. More 

 bushels, less cost, richer soil. How does corn culture supplement the efforts of 

 the farmer in attaining these conditions ? 



To raise large crops there must be immunity from weeds, and with no other 

 grain is there such an opportunity for extirpating them, together with a thor- 

 ough cultivation of the soil for the benefit of the growing and future crops. 

 With a decrease in the prevalence of weeds, the cost of raising all crops is 

 diminished and an increased production of all attained. Corn-raising tends 

 indirectly to increase the fertility of the soil, because, being bulky both in stalk 

 and grain, it is most profitably consumed at home, thereby returning to the soil 

 the major part of the elements abstracted therefrom in its production. The 

 raising of corn to the exclusion of other crops, and for shipment in a crude 

 state, is rei^rehensible, but is likely to correct itself by reason of the greater 

 freight upon the grain than upon the same converted into beef, pork, etc., and 

 tends directly to stimulate the stock industries upon which the recuperation of 

 the soil so largely depends. 



These are, in outline, some of the advantages of corn culture. But to be an 

 advantage at all to the individual farmer it must be raised at a profit, — which 

 leads to a consideration of the methods of culture upon which, assuming natural 

 advantages, the amount of profit depends. 



In accordance with the fundamental principles of farming, that method is 

 best which produces the most bushels at least cost, with increased productive- 

 ness of soil. The first essential to the raising of a large crop is, of course, a 

 soil rich in the elements which constitute the food of plants ; which jiresupposes 

 an intelligent management and preparation of the soil during previous years, 

 and a judicious application of fertilizers to the crop in hand. 



Both experiment and observation seem to confirm the belief that the applica- 



