1838] 



F A 11 JNl K 11 S ' REGISTER. 



49 



ties, on account of having full experience and means 

 for observation and comparison — confined his recom- 

 mendation within the following limits: "My expe- 

 rience" (he says, at p. 605, vol. 2.) "induces me to 

 think that no great advantage is derived if this corn is 

 planted on lands naturally poor, or exhausted by culti- 

 vation; but wiiere in a state of fertility, either natu- 

 rally or by improvements, I think the [increase of] 

 product from this kind of corn will be more than iifteen 

 per cent." Now this amount of increase, if accurate- 

 ly estimated, is sufficiently great to induce the trial of 

 this corn, on the soils recommended as suitable, and in 

 a latitude not very different from that of Queen Ann's 

 county, Md. But this increase is far sliort of what 

 the sanguine expect, or what would have induced so 

 many to require this kind of grain; and the writer en- 

 tirely objects to planting it on any but the very small 

 proportion ot rich lands. This corn is a. forward kind, 

 even in Maryland; of course it is too forward for our lo- 

 cation; and in southern Alabama, and lower South 

 Carolina, it will lose the benefit of near or quite two 

 months of the growing season, which the longer sum- 

 mers there offer to vegetation. This corn will there 

 become, under Nature's correcting training, more and 

 more late in ripening, and the ears larger and fewer; 

 and we believe that Nature knows best how to adapt 

 particular grains to particular soils and climates, and 

 that the more the Maryland twin-corn shall be changed 

 by her efforts, from its present and most highly prized 

 peculiarities, the more productive it will be in south- 

 ern regions. 



Neither do these views contradict others which we 

 have advocated, deduced from the valuable article of 

 Dr. Bronn., in vol. 1, (at page 257) of this journal. 

 Our deductions then made, and still adhered to, were, 

 that northern and moist climates, and clay and cold 

 soils, tended to increase the vegetable (or the stem 

 and leaf) parts of a crop, at the expense of the perfec- 

 tion of the seed; and that southern and dry climates, 

 and hot or sandy soils, made the seed more perfect, but 

 diminished the succulence and size of the plant in gene- 

 ral. And, as the first progeny would partake largely 

 of the peculiar qualities of the parent stock, it was 

 therefore proper to bring our grass seeds from the most 

 cold and moist situations, and the seeds of crops, val- 

 ued mostly for the grain, from the warmest and dry- 

 est. We may gain, in this manner, in the particular 

 product most wanting, though at the cost of some 

 general reduction of the product of the entire plant or 

 crop. But, to have a tenth, only, added to the bulk of 

 the stalk and leaf of a clover or other grass crop, want- 

 ed for hay, pasture, or green manure, we might well 

 afford that it should be incapable of bringing the half of a 

 usual crop of seed; and we would be very unwilling 

 (by change of seed, or otherwise,) to double our 

 growth of wheat-straw, by lessening the grain only one- 

 tenth. Both these effects, or something like them in 

 degree, we believe might be produced by bringing 

 grass and grain seed, from far northern regions, to be 

 sown in the south; and in a less degree, by changes of 

 seed from cold and moist, to hot and dry soils, on the 

 same farm. 



But this is a digression from humbugs and hobbies — 

 Vol. IV— 7 



or ])erhaps, as may be charged, from those of othe"^ 

 people, to some of our own. We do not claim exemp- 

 tion from the liability of being deceived in such mat- 

 ters, nor, in consequence, of thence aiding to deceive 

 our readers. But we claim this at least, that we do 

 not sell our humbugs, nor make any pecuniary gain in 

 the humbug market. If we aid in forwarding decep- 

 tion, it is done disinterestedly and honestly. To return 

 then to the subject. 



The Baden corn seems now to be the most fashionable 

 and popular variety. The following extracts will 

 show the claims made for it to public favor. The first 

 is a letter from the commissioner of the Patent Oflice, 

 who exhibits a laudable, though in this respect an ill- 

 directed, zeal for the improvement of agriculture; and 

 the second is the material part of the letter to him 

 from Mr. T. N. Baden, the producer and seller of the 

 corn. 



"To the Editor of the Farmer and Gardener. 



Patent Office, Dec. 12, 1837. 

 "Dear Sir — I have received many inquiries respect- 

 ing the culture of "Baden corn," and addressed a let- 

 ter to Mr. Baden on the subject. I take the libeity of 

 enclosing his letter for publication in your valuable 

 paper. 



".Mr. Baden's experiments this season, show that his 

 own is earlier than many other kmds. I have distri- 

 buted the last year a great number of parcels of the 

 Baden corn; that which has been planted in latitude 

 not exceeding 40 or 45 north, has succeeded admira- 

 bly. It willsoon be acclimated in the higher latitudes. 

 Over 100 bushels has been raised per acre on the rich 

 lands of the west and south, without any manure. 

 Yours, respectfully, 



H. L. Ellsworth." 



"To the Hon. Henry L. Ellsworth, 

 Washington City. 

 Prince George's County, Md., Nov. 4th, 1837. 

 "Dear Sir,— Acreeably to promise, I now write you 

 a few lines to inform you, that within the last two years 

 (and never before) there has been a report in circula- 

 tion that my corn was a latter kind. However, for the 

 satisfaction of my friends, I have made an experiment 

 this yt ar, which' 1 hope will satisfy every one upon 

 that point. I planted a lot of six acres and a half, as 

 near as 1 could judge, (by stepping) of this kind of 

 corn, the 20th day of May last— my book is now be- 

 fore me. I cannot be mistaken in the date, which is 

 more than a month later than the common time of ma- 

 ny persons planting in this neighborhood. I gave no 

 extra manasrem'Mit to hurry its growth, and determined 

 to give it only tlie common routine of work that I ge- 

 nerally give my corn. It is now perfectly ripe and 

 hard, and has been for some time, and no frost could 

 do it any injury in any way; and I believe it will yield 

 as much good sound corn to tl.e acre as any that was 

 planted in the neighborhood any time in April upon 

 land of the same quality. This evidently shows that 

 my corn is a forward kind, and will come to maturity 

 as soon as any other. By the first opportunity, I will 

 send you a few stalks of this corn that was planted the 

 1st day of May, with the corn on tbem. as it crew in 

 both the lot and field, and none with less than/owr, and 

 some with .sejjfTi and eight good ears on a stalk— then I 

 will leave you to judge which of them is the better. 

 As soon as" it is sufliciently dry to shell and put up, I 

 shall send you twenty or thirty bushels of as good seed 

 corn as you have ever seen. I have notion 



since dis- 

 covered'^something in this corn, which convinces me 

 that I can still make a great improvement on it, by 

 adding much to the q\iantity and quality of the grain 

 on each stalk. I am now persevering in my eiforts. 



