1S36.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



117 



which is there visible every day at the top of the 

 pump, leads the passing stranger to inquire wheth- 

 er the well is on fire. 



From the Cultivator. 



CULTIVATION AXD IIAUVESTING OF INDIAN 

 CO UN. 



All, or nearly al!, the nrcounts we have pub- 

 li.-ihed of irreat products of Indian corn, agree in 

 two particular?, viz. in not using the plough in 

 the after culture, and in not earthing, or but 

 very slightly, the hills. These results go to de- 

 monstrate, that the entire roots are essential to 

 the vigor of the crop ; and that roots, to enable 

 them to perform their functions as nature de- 

 signed, must be near the surfiice. If the roots are 

 severed with the plough, m dressing the crop, the 

 plants are deprived of a portion of their nourish- 

 ment; -and if they are buried deep, by hilling, the 

 plant is paitially exhausted in throwing out anew 

 set near the surface, Avhere alone they can per- 

 form all their offices. There is another material 

 advantage in this mode of cultivating the corn 

 crop — it saves a vast deal of manual labor. See 

 the communication of Mr. Tomlinson, in to-day's 

 paper.* 



There is another question, of interest to farmers, 

 which relates to the mode of harvesting the crop; 

 that is, whether it is best to top the stalks, cut the 

 whole at the ground when the grain is glazed, or 

 cut the whole when the irrain has fully ripened. 

 We have stated the experiments of JVlr. Clark, of 

 Nortliampfon,t one of the best practical flirmers 

 of our country, and of other gentlemen, showing, 

 that the grain sutlers a diminution of six or eight 

 bushels the acre, by topping the stalks ; and there 

 seems to be no counterbalancing benefit in the fod- 

 der, unless at the expense of carrying the stalks 

 to the borders of the field, that they may be se- 

 cured before the crop is gathered, and before they 

 become blanched and half ruined. And it is no 

 protection against early autumnal frosts, but 

 rather exposes unripened grain to be more injured. 

 Hence, so far as regards these two modes, all who 

 have made a comparison, seem to concur in the 

 opinion, that stripping the corn of its tops and 

 leaves, is a bad practice. William Carmichael, 

 of Maryland, has given us, in the Farmers' Re- 

 gister, his experiments in this matter, which go 

 to corroborate the conclusion we have drawn. He 

 took, promiscuously, one hundred ears from corn 

 that had been topped, and one hundred ears from 

 that which had not been topped, growiiifj side by 

 side. The first weighed, on the cob, 50 pounds ; 

 shelled, 41 pounds, and measured 21 quarts, 1 

 pint. The other on the cob, 54 pounds ; shelled, 

 46 — and measured 26 quarts — showing a dif- 

 ference of nearly one-fifih in favor of the un- 

 stripped or untopped corn. The fact is, that top- 

 ping not only prevents the further elaboration of 

 the sap, which can only take place in the leaves, 

 and which is necessary for the growth of the corn, 

 but it deprives the grain of much that is already 



* An extract from the piece referred to will follow 

 this. Ed. Far. Reg. 



t Published also in the Farmers' Register, p. 243. 

 vol. II. 



elaborated, and on its way to the grain. If a 



fruit tree is deprived of its leaves, befo're the fruit 

 has attained its growth, or mature flavor, the fruit 

 will no longer grow, nor will it attain high flavor 

 for its supply of elaborated (bod, or vegetable blood' 

 is cut of!' by the loss of leaves. We have noticed 

 this particularly in the plum. Satisfactory ex- 

 periments have not been made to determine, whe- 

 ther it is most advantageous to cut the crop 

 when tlie grain is merely glazed, or to wait till it 

 is perfectly ripe. This will depend upon ihe 

 amount of loss, if any, in the grain, by early har- 

 vesting — ihe relative value of the grain and fod- 

 der—and the prospect of both being injured by 

 early frosts— for neither are liable to suffer fl-om 

 frost after the crop has been cut and put into 

 shocks. It i« to be noticed, that, in early cuttinc, 

 the stalks are succulent, and abound in elaboratwl 

 sap on its descent from the leaves to the grain, 

 and that this supply of food to the grain continues 

 to flow probably tor some days after the corn is in 

 shook, and if so, the grain itself continues to im- 

 prove, though we think it likely that the crop un- 

 derijoes some trifling diminution. But if frost is 

 likely to intervene, before the complete maturity 

 of the crop, there is no doubt but the corn will suf- 

 fer less in shook than it will standing, while the 

 fodder will be materially injured by frost. Admit- 

 ting that there is a small loss in grain by early 

 cutting, though it is undoubtedly less than when 

 it is topped, the difference in the value of the fod- 

 der, under the two modes of manao-ement, is 

 vastly in faver of early harvesting. We do not 

 pretend to calculate to a nicety, the difference in 

 nutritous propertie-; of corn stalks cut in a succu- 

 lent state, early in September, well cured and well 

 housed, and, those left standing till October or No- 

 vember in the field, but we should think it fifty 

 percent. Well cured corn stalks aflx)rd an excel- 

 lent winter food for neat cattle ; and when fodder 

 is likely to be in demand, they may be made to 

 contribute largely to the profits" of the farm. Se- 

 veral of our acquaintance have kept their neat 

 stock almost entirely upon this fodder during the 

 past winter, and we have done the like, having 

 first cut ours in a cutting machine ; and so far a^s 

 we can learn, the cattle kept upon them are in ex- 

 cellent condition. 



The preceding considerations justify us in re- 

 commending, that in the management of the In- 

 dian corn crop, the following rules be observed, at 

 least partially, so far as to test their correctness : 



1. That the corn harrow and cultivator be sub- 

 stituted for the plough in the culture of the crop. 



2. That the plants be not hdled, or but slightly 

 so — this not to prevent the soil being often stirred 

 and kept clean. And, 



3. That in harvesting, the crop be cut at the 

 ground^as soon as the grain is glazed. Ed. Cult. 

 #"# # # # « # 



"The two last years, corn has been raised in the 

 following manner, on the Mohawk Flats, near 

 this city. If in grass, the land is ploughed and 

 well harrowed, lengthwis'e of the furrow, without 

 disturbing the sward. The ground is then pre- 

 pared for planting, by being marked out two and 

 half feet one way, and three feet the other. The 

 last season, the field was rolled after being planted, 

 with evident benefit, as it made it level. When 

 the corn is three inches high, the cultivator is 

 passed through both ways : and twice afterwards 



