16 



QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 



Greeu 

 Manures. 



Com. 



Sugar Corn. 



obtain it for present use, we recommend chemical manures, which, used 

 in seasons not too dry, may do equally well at less cost ; but if time per- 

 mits, green manures will be found the cheapest. 



81. Q. How is green manuring practiced ? 



A. Four crops of green manure can be turned down in seventeen 

 months, by seeding rye in October, corn in April, a second crop of corn 

 in July, and rye again in October, to be plowed under in April. This ro- 

 tation will surprise the experimenter, who will see his soil made fertile, 

 friable, and in general vigor far beyond its previous condition, all due to 

 the valuable component parts of the vegetable matter plowed under, and 

 to the absorption and retention of nitrogen by the soil consequent upon 

 the extended covering of the surface. From the earliest agricultural rec- 

 ords green manuring has been practiced, and whole districts of country 

 in Europe have been rendered fertile by such practice. A large district 

 in Germany, once a barren, is now most fertile, all due to the use of the 

 lupine, which plant, however, does not offer such good results under the 

 hot sun of the American climate. 



82. Q. What is the history of Corn or Maize ? 



A. This is a native of North and South America, having been found in 

 cultivation by the first European voyagers. Modern researches in Peru 

 and Mexico have given evidence that its culture extends far beyond any- 

 historic period. There is no foundation whatever for the statement that 

 Indian corn has been found in the wrappings of Egyptian mummies ; 

 such tales being pure fabrications. Seeds of wheat, sorghum and millet 

 have been discovered, but it is doubtful if any such seed ever vegetated. 

 Indian corn may be divided into six classes, viz.: Pop, Zea Everta ; 

 Flint, Zea Indurata; Dent, Zea Indentata; Soft, Zea Anylaca; Sweet, 

 Zea Saccharatum; Pod or Husk, Zea Vaginata; and each of these are 

 subdivided according to shape of the ear, number of rows upon each ear. 



83. Q. Give directions for planting sugar corn. 



A. Table corn cannot be planted successfully at an earlier date than 

 the ordinary field varieties, indeed it is more likely to decay under unfa- 

 vorable soil conditions than the hardier field varieties. As a rule, sugar 

 corn is not as vital as the field sorts, and therefore it is wise to plant 

 almost a double number of grains in the hill as compared with field corn. 

 When the cherry is in bloom, hills for the short varieties of three and 

 four feet in height, may be made three by three feet apart ; for the inter- 

 mediate varieties three by four feet ; and for the tall varieties, four by four 

 feet apart. In all cases allowing three stalks to stand to the hill. Repe- 

 titions of corn planting should be made every two weeks, and for the 

 quick-ripening varieties the planting may be continued until within sixty 

 days of frost. Seed should be provided at the rate of ten quarts to the 

 acre. We always provide that much, though often only planting six or 

 seven quarts. The plants thinned out to three inches apart. Of the me- 

 dium and large varieties of sugar corn seventy -five to eighty bushels, or 

 8000 to 9000 roasting ears can be had to the acre. The average price paid 



