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FARMERS' REGISTER— CORN CROP. 



ns much plaster added as will adhere to the grain. 

 This impre filiates and partially coats the seed with 

 the tar. The experience of years will wamxnt mc 

 m confidently reconimending this as a protection for 

 the seed. 



The manner of planting is ordinarily in hills, 

 from two and a halt" to six tect apart, according to 

 the variety of corn, the strength of the soil, and 

 the fancy of the cultivator. The usual distance 

 in my neighhorhood is three Icet. Some, howe- 

 ver, plant in drills of one, two and three rows, hy 

 which a greater crop is unquestionably obtained, 

 though the expense of cultui'e is somewhat in- 

 creased, (e) The quantity of seed should be 

 double, and may be quadrujile (f) what is re- 

 quired to stand. It is well known that a great 

 difference is manifest in the appearance of the 

 plants. Some appear feeble and sickly, which 

 the best nursing will not render productive. The 

 expense of seed, and the labor of pulling up all 

 but three or four of the strongest plants in a hill, 

 it is believed will be amply remunerated by the 

 increased product. If the seed is covered, as it 

 should be, with fine mould only, and not too 

 deep, we may at least calculate upon eveiy hill or 

 drill having its requisite number of j)lants. 



The after culture consists in keeping the soil 

 loose and free from weeds, which is ordinarily ac- 

 complished by two dressings, and in thimiing the 

 plants, which latter may be done the first hoeing, 

 or partially omitted till the last. The practice of 

 ploughing among corn, and of making large hills, 

 is justly getting into disrepute: for the plough 

 bruises and cuts the roots of the plants, turns up 

 the sod and manure to waste, and renders the 

 crop more liable to suffer bj^ drought. The first 

 dressing should be i)erfbrmed as soon as the size 

 of the plants will permit, and the best implement 

 to precede the hoe is a corn harrow, adapted to 

 the width of the rows, which every farmer can 

 make. This will destroy most of the weeds and 

 pulverize the soil. The second hoeintr should be 

 performed before or as soon as the tassels appear, 

 and may be preceded by the corn harrow, a shal- 

 low furrow of the plough, or what is better than 

 either, by the cultivator, (g) A slight earthing 

 is beneficial, providing the earth is scraped from 

 the surface, and the sod and manure not exposed. 

 It will be found beneficial to run the harrow or 

 cultivator a third, or even a fourth time, between 

 the rows, to destroy weeds and loosen the surface, 

 particularly if the season is dry. (h) 



In harvesting the crop, one of three modes is 

 adopted, viz. 1. The corn is cut at the surface of 

 the ground, when the grain has become glazed, or 

 hard upon the outside, put immediately into 

 stooks, and when sufficiently dried, the corn and 

 stalks are separated, and both secured. 2. The 

 tops are taken ofl' when the corn has become 

 glazed, and the grain permitted to remain till Oc- 

 tober or November upon the huts. Or, 3. Both 

 corn and stalks are left standing till the grain has 

 fully ripened, and the latter becomes diy, when 

 both are secured. There are other modes, such as 

 leaving the huts or entn-e stalks, in the field, after 

 the grain is gathered; but these are so Avasteful 

 and slovenly as not to merit consideration. The 

 stalks, blades, and tops of corn, if well secured, 

 are an excellent fodder for neat cattle. If cut, or 

 rut and steamed, so that they can be readily mas- 

 ticated, they are superior to hay. Besides, their 



fertilizing properties, as a manure, are gieatly aug- 

 mented by being fed out in the cattle yard, and 

 imbibing the urine and liquids which always there 

 abound, and which are lost to the farm, in ordinary- 

 yards, without an abundance of dry litter to take 

 them up. . By the first of these methods, the crop 

 may be secured before the autumnal rains; the 

 value of the fodder is increased, and the ground is 

 cleared in time lor a winter crop of wheat or rye. 

 The second mode impairs the value of the forage, 

 recjuires more labor, and does not increase the 

 quantity, or improve the quality, of the grain. 

 The third mode requires the same labor as the first, 

 may improve the quality of the gi-ain, but must in- 

 evitably deteriorate the quality of the fodder. The 

 com cannot be husked too promptly after it is 

 gathered from the field. If permitted to heat, the 

 value of the grain is seriously impaired, (i) 



Saving seed. The fairest and soundest ears are 

 either selected in the field, or, at the time of husk- 

 ing, a tew of the husks being lelt on, braided and 

 preserved in an airy situation till wanted for use. 



In making a choice of sorts, the object should be 

 to obtain the varieties Aviiich ripen early, and afford 

 the greatest crop. I think these two proj)erties are 

 best combined in a twelve rowed kind ^\iiich I ob- 

 tained from Vermont some years ago, and which I 

 call Dutton com, from the name of tlie gentleman 

 from whom I received it. It is earlier than the 

 common eight rowed yellow, or any other field va- 

 riety I have seen, and at the same time gives the 

 greatest product. I have invariably cut the crop 

 in the first fourteen days in September, and once 

 in the last week m August. The cob is large, 

 but the grain is so compact iipon it, that two bush- 

 els of sound ears have yielded five pecks of shelled 

 grain, weighing 62 lbs. the bushel. 



In securing the fodder, precaution must be used. 

 The buts become wet by standing on the ground, 

 and if placed in large stacks, or in the barn, the 

 moisture which they contain oflen induces fermen- 

 tation and mouldiness. To avoid this I put them 

 first in stacks so small, that the Avhole of the buts 

 are exposed upon the outer surface; and when 

 thoroughly dry they may be taken to the barn, or 

 left to te moved as they are wanted to be fed out, 

 merely regarding the propriety of removing a 

 whole stock at the same time. 



NOTES. 



(a) Estimated expense of cultivating an acre 

 of Indian corn: 



One ploughing, (suppose a clover lay,) - $2 00 



Harrowing and planting, ----- 2 00 



Two hocings, 4 days and horse team, - - 3 75 



Harvesting, 2 days, ------- 150 



Cutting and harvesting stalks, - - - - 1 50 



Rent, - 5 00 



$15 75 



(h) Stable and yard manures lose 50 per cent, 

 by the fermentation they undergo in the yard 

 during the summer. This loss consists of the 

 gases which are evolved in the process of rotting, 

 and of the fluids which sink into the earth, or are 

 carried ofl" by the rains. Plants receive their food 

 either in a gaseous or liquid form. If manure rots 

 in the soil, neither these gases or fluids are lost: 

 the earth retains, and the roots of the plants im- 

 bibe them. Yet recent manures are not proper to 



