62 



The ground was prepared as for corn, furrowed thirty inches 

 apart, and corn dropped in the rows at the rate of seventy- five 

 grains per rod, and carefully covered by hand. The seed was a 

 variety of yellow dent grown u[)on the farm for several past. The 

 stalks of the variety are somewhat smaller than those from states 

 south of Wisconsin. 



The planting was done May 27th. This plot was very promis- 

 ing at first and was pronounced the best on the place by visitors at 

 the farm the last of June. It was cultivated three times and was 

 entirely free from weeds at cutting time. In August some of the 

 corn plants turned an unhealthy yellow color, and the corn when 

 tasseled was not over six and a half or seven feet high. ISo cause 

 can be given for this condition, except that the plants were too 

 much crowded. No ears formed upon the stalks, except very 

 small ones in a few cases. At cutting time the small stalks were 

 as sweet as Amber cane stalks and filled with juice. Owing to 

 the drought then prevailing some of the lower leaves were dead. 

 The second plot of ensilage corn was grown upon land which had 

 yielded over eighty bushels of shelled corn per acre the year pre- 

 vious. It was fertilized with rotted barnyard manure at the rate 

 of thirty small two-horse wagon loads to the acre. . The ground 

 was in perfect condition at planting time. Rows were marked 

 two feet apart, and in these corn was dropped, three grains to the 

 hill, ihe hills being two feet apart. It was cultivated three times, 

 and the few weeds that were not thus destroyed were removed 

 with the hoe. 



About three acres in third plot were planted with AVhite Austra- 

 lian flint corn, a variety grown upon the farm for several years 

 past. The growth of the corn on this plot was the most perfect I 

 ever saw in all respects. It stood perfectly even in thickness and 

 height over the whole plot. The suckers were numerous and the 

 leaves green and healthy from ground to tassel. The main stalks 

 stood between eight and nine feet high. Although seemingly as 

 thick as it could be and yet keep its deep green color, quite good 

 sized ears of corn formed, and these while in the milk were cut up 

 with the stalks and went into the silo. The third plot was simi- 

 lar in all respects to the second, except that it was planted with a 



