CORN CULTURE. 271 



small and carefully tended patches in Kentucky and Ten- 

 nessee. In the Central States, or " corn belt," the average 

 yield is twenty-five to thirty bushels per acre. 



The crop of 1879, according to the last Federal census, 

 averaged as follows : For the United States, 28 bushels per 

 acre, — Iowa and Nebraska, 41 ; Massachusetts, 34; Illinois, 

 36; Kansas, 30; Louisiana, 13; Alabama, 12; Florida, 9 

 bushels (fractions being omitted). 



The price has fluctuated from five or ten cents per bushel, 

 at which it was often sold in Kentucky and Ohio early in 

 the present century, to one dollar and more, at which it has 

 been sold in our Eastern markets. 



The height of the full-grown corn varies from three to 

 eighteen feet, according to variety, soil and climate. 



The corn crop in New England is so overshadowed by the 

 immense products of the Western prairies, that we are accus- 

 tomed to regard it as of minor importance. And, in fact, 

 when we compare the corn crop of Massachusetts with the 

 grass crop of the same section, the farmer seems insignifi- 

 cant in the comparison. But I think 'that every general 

 farmer in Massachusetts should raise corn. Of course it is 

 not to be expected — and I would not seem to encourage 

 the idea — that the New England farmer is to grow corn for 

 market in competition with his brother of Illinois. But I 

 do say that, in my judgment, farmers generally in this 

 region should raise an abundant supply of corn for their 

 own use. Forty years ago farmers in Worcester County 

 rarely bought any corn, but on the other hand they gener- 

 ally had corn to sell. Fifteen years ago very few ftirmers 

 in this vicinity raised enough corn for their own use, 

 and many large farmers did not grow corn enough to make a 

 ♦« Johnny cake ;" but within a few years past there has been 

 a marked increase in the amount of corn grown in the cen- 

 tral portion of our Commonwealth. 



During these years of fluctuation in the growing of corn 

 in ^Massachusetts the production of this superb grain has 

 been steadily and rapidly increasing in the great West. 

 Vast tracts of virgin soil have been opened to its cultivation, 

 and new and improved methods and machinery have been 

 brought to bear upon the work, until the product of corn 



