306 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



APRIL 10, 1S33. 



Gypsum is applied broadcast before the last ploii<;h- 

 iug, or harrowing, or strewed on the hills after 

 hoeing. I pursue the first method, at the rate of 

 a bushel to the acre, [d) 



The best preparation for a corn crop is a clover 

 or other grass lay, or lea, well covered with a 

 long manure, recently spread, neatly ploughed, 

 and harrowed lengthwise of the furrow. A rol- 

 ler may precede the harrow with advantage. The 

 time of performing these operations depends upon 

 the texture of the soil, and the quality of the sod. 

 If the first is inclining to clay, or the latter tough 

 or of long continuance, the ploughing may be per- 

 formed the preceding autunm ; but where sand or 

 gravel greatly preponderate, or the sod is light 

 and tender, it is best performed in the spring, and 

 as near to the planting as convenient. The harrow 

 at least should immediately ])recede planting. All 

 seeds do best when put into the fresh stirred 

 mold. Stitf lands are ameliorated and broken 

 down by fall ploughing ; but light lands are rather 

 prejudiced by it. When corn is preceded by a 

 tilled crop, the ground should be furrowed, and 

 the seed deposited in the bottom of the furrows. 

 Where there is a sod, the rows shoidd be super- 

 ficially marked, and the seed planted upon the 

 surface. Where the field is flat, or the sub-soil 

 retentive of moisture, the land should be laid in 

 ridges, that the excess of water which falls may 

 pass off in the furrows. 



The time of planting must vary in difl'erent 

 districts and in diftereut seasons. The ground 

 should be sufiiciently warmed by vernal heat to 

 ca\ise a speedy germination. Natural vegetation 

 affords the best guide. My rule has been to plant 

 when the apple is bursting its bIos«oni buds, 

 which has generally been between the 12th and 

 20th of May. 



Preparation of the seed. The enemies to be 

 combatted are the wire worm, brown grub, birds 

 and squirrels. Of these the first and two last 

 prey upon the kernels, and against these tar of- 

 fers a complete protection. I soak my seed 12 to 

 20 hours in hot water, in which is dissolved a few 

 ounces of crude salt petre, and then add (say 

 to 8 quarts of seed) half a pint of tar previously 

 warmed and diluted with a quart of warm water. 

 The mass is well stirred, the corn taken out, and 

 as much plaster added as will adhere to the grain. 

 This impregnates and partially coats the seed with 

 tar. The experience of years will warrant me in 

 confidently recommending this as a protection for 

 the seed. 



The manner of planting is ordinarily in hills, 

 from two and a half to six feet apart, according to 

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

 the fancy of the cultivator. The usual distance in 

 my neighborhood is three feet. Some, however, 

 plant in drills of one, two and three rows, by 

 •which a greater crop is unquestionably obtained, 

 though the expense of culture is somewhat increas- 

 ed, (e) The quantity of seed should be double, 

 .and may be quadruple (f) what is required to 

 atand. 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 mold 

 only, and not too deep, we may at least calculate 



upon every hill or drill having its requisite num- 

 ber of plants. 



The after culture consists in keeping the soil 

 loose and free from weeds, which is ordinarily ac- 

 complished by two dressings, and in thinning the 

 plants, which latter may be done the first hoeing, 

 or partially omitted it till the last. The practice 

 of ploughing among corn, and of making large 

 hills, is justly getting into disrepute ; for the plough 

 bruizes and cuts the roots of the plants, turns up 

 the sod and manure to waste, and renders the crop 

 more liable to suffer by drouth. The first dressing 

 should be performed as soon as the size of the 

 plants will permit, and the best implement to pre- 

 cede 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 hoeing should be performed 

 before or as soon as tlie tassels appear, and may 

 be preceded by the corn harrow, a shallow furrow 

 of the plough, or what is better than either, by the 

 cultivator, (g-) A slight caithing is beneficial, pro- 

 viding the earth is scraped from the surface, and 

 the sod and manure not exposed. It will be found 

 beneficial to rim the harrow or cultivator a third, 

 and even a fourth time, between the rows, to des- 

 troy 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 

 stocks, and when sufficiently dried, the corn and 

 stalks are separated, and both secured. 2. The 

 tops are taken oft" when the corn has become gla- 

 zed, and the grain permitted to remain till October 

 or November upon the butts. Or, 3. IJoth corn 

 and stalks are left standing till the grain has fully 

 ripened, and the latter become thy, when both are 

 secured. There are other modes, such as leaving 

 the butts or entire stalks in the field, atler the 

 grain is gathered ; but these are so wasteful 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 cut 

 and steamed, so that they can be readily mastica- 

 ted, they are superior to hay. Besides, their fer- 

 tilizing ])roperties, as a manure, are greatly aug- 

 mented by being fed out in the cattle yard, and im- 

 bibing the urine and liq'iids which always there 

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

 ry 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 for a winter crop of wheat or 

 rye. The second nlode impairs the value of the 

 forage, requires 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, 7nay improve the quality of the grain, but 

 most inevitably deteriorate the quality of the fod- 

 der. The corn cannot be husked too promptly af- 

 ter it is gathered from the field. If permitte<i 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 few of the husks being lefl 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 which ripen early, and af- 

 ford the greatest crop. I think these two proper- 



tics are best combined in a twelve rowed kind 

 which I obtained from Vermont some years ago, 

 and which I call Button corn, from the name of 

 the gentleman from whom I received it. It is 

 earlier than the common eight rowed yellow, or 

 any other field variety I have seen, and at the 

 same time gives the greatest product. 1 have in- 

 variably cut the crop in the first fourteen days of 

 September, and once in the last week in August. 

 The cob is large, but the grain is so eonipact upon 

 it that two bushels of sound ears have yielded 

 five pecks of shelled grain, weighing 62 lbs. the 

 bushel. 



In securing the fodder, precaution must be used. 

 The butts become wet by standing on the ground, 

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

 moisture which they contain often induces fer- 

 mentation and moldiness. To avoid this I put 

 them first in stacks so small, that the whole of the 

 butts are exposed upon the outer surface ; and 

 when thoroughly dry they may be taken to the 

 barn, or left to be moved as they are wanted to be 

 fed out — merely regarding the propriety of remov- 

 ing a whole stack at the same time. 



NOTES. 



(a) Estimated expense of cultivating an acre of In- 

 dian com. 

 One ploughing, (suppose a clover lay) J;a.00 

 Harrowing and planting, 2,00 



Two hoeings, 4 days and horse team, 3.75 

 , Harvesting, 2 days, ] .50 



Cutting and harvesting stalks, 1.50 



Rent, 5.00 



$15.75. 



(li) Stable and yard manures loose 50 per cent, by the 

 firmentiition they undergo in the yard during tlic sum- 

 nuT. This loss consists of the gases which are evolved 

 in the process of rotting, and ot the fluids which sink 

 into the earth, or are carried off by the rains. Plaiits re- 

 ceive their food cither in a gaseous or liquid form. If 

 manure rots in the soil, neither these gases or fluids are 

 lost; the eartli retains, and the roots of the plants im- 

 bibe them. Yet recent manures are not proper to be ap- 

 plied to small grains. They cause too rank a growth of 

 straw, and are apt to induce rust and mildew. Thus a 

 crop of corn, potatoes, or ruta baga may be fed and fat- 

 tened, if I may use the expression, upon the dung which 

 is destined to nourish the wheat crop, without deterio- 

 rating its value for the latter purpose, if it is applied to 

 the corn, &c., before it has fermented. 



(c) We are on the northern border of the maize zone, 

 and should make up for defect in climate by selecting 

 soils into which the heat readily penetrates. Air, be- 

 sides conveying warnitii in summer, imparts fertility by 

 the vegetable tood which is always suspended in it in 

 the form of gases. Dews are also charged with these 

 properties of vegetable nutrin)ent, and when tlie soil is 

 porous they settle down as in a sponge, and impart fer- 

 tility to the roots (the true mouths) of plants. 



(d) I adopt the opinion of Davy, as the modvs ope- 

 riindi of plaster of paris, that it forms a necessary con- 

 stituent of plants whicli it benefits, and is of no direct 

 benefit to plants which do not afford it on analysis. 

 Among the first are the clovers, corn, potatoes, and 

 generally such plants as have broad or succulent leaves; 

 while the latter embrace culmiferous grains and grasses, 

 as wheat, rye, timothy, &c. Critical observations for 

 years lias confirmed me in this conclusion. Gypsum 

 must be rendered soluble before it can be taken up by 

 tlie mouths of plants, and it requires (iOO parts of water 

 to dissolve one of this mineral. I infer from these facts, 

 that by burying it in the soil it more readily dissolves, 

 and is more accessible to the mouths of plants, than if 

 spread upon the surface of the ground. I am induced, 

 from these views of the subject, to sow plaster, on grass 

 grounds in March, and upon corn and potato grounds be- 

 fore the last ploughing for these crops. The latter was 

 recommended and practised by the distinguished agri- 

 culturists, the late Mr. Taylor, of Virginia, and Judge 

 Peters, of Pennsylvania. 



(e) The following table exhibits the difference in pro- 

 duct of various methods of planting, and serves also ta 

 e-xplain the manner in which large crops of this grain 



