382 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAY 89, 184 4 



AND HORTICULTURAL RKGISTEK. 



Edited by Josepb Breck. 



Boston, Wednesday, Mat 29, 1844. 



TILLAGE OF THE CORN CROI". 



" Man is a creature of habit." Once firmly wedded 

 lo a custom, good or bad, and ten chances to one that 

 hu adheres In it through life. This remark, true of all, 

 is peculiarly so in respect to the farmers' customs in the 

 culture of the earth and its productions. The practices 

 which they have Ifing followed, they are not disposed 

 to exchange for others, however high may be their pre- 

 tensions to superiority — and in no case is this pro- 

 pensity more sirikini>ly exemplified, than in the methods 

 pursued in the culture ofihe corn crop. 



While all the wrilers for the agricultural press, with- 

 out an exception, to our knoviledge, discountenance and 

 decry the practices of hilling and topping corn, and most 

 ofthem the custom of manuring in the hill — and not- 

 withstandini; all thai has been said and written against 

 these practices — still, nineteen-twentieths of our farmers, 

 probably, adopt and follow these methods, in the belief, 

 no doubt, thai they are the best, or from a deep-rooted 

 disinclination to adopt new modes instead of the old and 

 tried ones which were satisfactory to thetr fathers, and 

 with which, therefore, (Aey are content. 



But it is not our intention at this time, to attempt an 

 exposition of the impolicy of either of the above named 

 practices in the management of the corn crop. If what 

 has already been said on that subject by others, has 

 failed to produce conviction, tee may well despair of 

 adding any thing further that could produce it, since far 

 abler and more experienced pens have labored, time and 

 again, for the same end. 



What we intend to speak of at the present lime in con- 

 nection with the tillage of the corn crop, is the stirring 

 of the soil during the growth of the crop — an object 

 whose utility has not as yet been dufv appreciated by 

 our farmers, and whoee itnportance cnh' hardly be over- 

 rated. 



In the report of tiie Supervisor of the Plymouth Co. 

 Agricultural Society, (Hon. Morrfli Alien,) recently 

 published in our pages, is Ihre remark, in reference to 

 the tillage of corn : "The plow should never enter the 

 field after the first hoeing." Tlie reasons on which 

 this advice is based, are sound and tenable, so far as they 

 refer to the ill-judged practice of running the plow in 

 n)cry row, and thus injuring the roots, and as a conse- 

 quence, the crop. But let a plow be used, wilU the coul- 

 ter alone, in every other row, tuitning ns di^ep as practi- 

 cable ; and let this be done in any stage of the growth 

 of the corn, when it may be endangered by lack of 

 moisture : — Will not more benefit accrue to the crop 

 from this operation than injury by cutting the roots on 

 one side ? One who has tried this course asserts that it 

 will enable corn to stand unharmed any drought which 

 is likely to occur, while land in corn not thus stirred, 

 will be unable to sustain the crop. " Stir ihe ground 

 eight inches deep, (says the same aullmrity,) and the 

 corn will stand and grow during a three weeks' drought 

 — stir it twelve or fourteen inches deep, with a coulter 

 plow, and the crop will grow every' day during a six or 

 Bi'ven weeks' drought." Thi< pl.ui we think worthy of 

 trial. 



The practice of plowing in every row after the roots 

 have begun lo spread, is objectionable indeed, and Mr 

 Allen very jusily censures it in his report above men- 

 tioned ■; but it would seem that the piactice above recom- 

 mended, while it secures the crop a large share of the 



advantage of deep-stirring, is nut obnoxious to the ob- 

 jection brought against the other, of severing or lacerat- 

 ing the roots on both sides of the row. 



In an article on the tillage of crops in vol xx. No. 48 

 of this paper, by its former editor, Mr Putnam, are the 

 following suggestions, which we deem worthy of repe- 

 tition. We have adopted in our own practice this sea- 

 son, with some crops, the plan recommended by Mr I'.l- 

 iot in the cultui-e of carrots ; — 



" The ground should be often stirred — but how ? 

 Shall wo run the plow, or cultivator, or harrow deep, 

 and loosen the earth as far down as we can ? or shall 

 we merely scratch the surface ? In years past we have 

 maintained that it is important to spare the roots of the 

 growing corn ; and have preferred using a light horse- 

 harrow to any other implement; and our course has 

 been successful. But it does not follow from this that 

 we may not do belter. 



"When reading last year the Essays upon Husban- 

 dry, by Rev. Jared Eliot, published in 1747, wo were 

 much impressed by a statement thern made in regard lo 

 the cfTecls of peculiar tillage upon the carrot crop. This 

 was raised without manure. The rows were put wide 

 apart, and soon after the plants came up, the earth was 

 filowed away fiom them, the plow running very near 

 the plants. After a few days, these furrows were turned 

 back towards the plants. A few dajs subsequently to 

 this, furrows were again turned from the plants, btit the 

 plow did not run quite so near them as at ihe first time. 

 Then after a few days the furrows were turned back — 

 and this process of turning off and on, was repeated five 

 or six times. But at each lime of turning off, the plow 

 was kept a little farther from the plants than before. 



" The consequence of all this was, that he obtained 

 carrots 8, 9, and 10 inches in circumference, where in 

 the common way of cultivation, he could not have had 

 them larger 'than a common dipped tallow candle.' 

 And though his rows were six feet apart or more, he ob- 

 tained 230 bushels per acre. 



" The minute fibrous roots of the carrot extend late- 

 rally farther than we are apt to observe. And it is only 

 a fair supposition that the better the state of the ground, 

 or the more recently ihe ground lias been stirred before 

 the roots exli'nd into it, the better the crop will grow. 

 The course pursued by Mr Eliot was admirably fitted 

 to furnish to the roots a fresh supply of soil from week 

 10 week, and this soil in a light and pulverized state. 



" The question which his practice and his success in 

 this case have suggested, is this : Whether we might not 

 benefit our corn, our potatoes, and all i;ther crops, by 

 commencing early with plowing the earth away from 

 one side of the row, letting the plow run very near the 

 plants — say within two or ihree inches ; then we might 

 turn this earth bank immediately, or h;t it remain two or 

 three days, and then turn it back. After this was done, 

 we might plow away from the other side ; at the proper 

 time turn this back. When it became necessary to plow 

 off again, keep the plow 4 or 5 inches from the plant. 

 .'\nd thus repeal ihe process as long as was nereBsary — 

 taking care all the time to keep the plow far enough 

 from the plants not to harm many of the rools. 



" At the last time of going over the ground, it maybe 

 well to use the light harrow and level the whole surface.' 

 " A fact that bus some bearing upon this point, may 

 be brought from the practice of some of the most suc- 

 cessful Scotch cultivators of the potato, who after tho 

 plnnls come up, take otfthe mould-board from the plow, 

 and then running the couller as near lo ihe plants as 

 they can, let the share pass directly under the seed and 

 pl.Tnts. The effect is lo stir the ground so that the first 

 roots will enter just as they begin to want food." 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



Saturday, May 25, 1844. 



The Society '.a rooms were highly decorated this da' 

 with Flora's riches. The display of flowers was ver" 

 brilliant. 



(•'loni the President of the Society, M. P VVilde 

 rare collection of Pajonies aiboreas, includin» the fol 

 lowing varieiies : Banksii, papaveraceii. Grand Due di 

 Bade, Heldii pUnissima, stellnta atropurpurea, piirpurei 

 plena, and papaveracea plena. Fuschias, var. Hybrid; 

 coccinnea, and Monipennyii. 



_ From Messrs Hovey & Co., beautiful Roses, var 

 Triumph of Luiemberg, Augustin Hersant, Mrs. Bosan 

 quel, Madam Nerard, Marshall Villers, Caroline, Hy 

 menee, Roi des Cramoises, Clara Sylvain, &c. Also,i 

 fine Bouquets. 



From Samuel Walker, Bouquets. 



From Wm. Weller, fine Geraniums, Pansies, a fine 

 seedling Polyanthus, and Bouquets. 



From Mrs. Sumner, fine Bouquets. 



From Messrs. Winship, a fine display of Hawthorn, 

 four varieties ; two largo bunches of beautiful Azaleas 

 of various sorts; also, some very beautiful Spireas and 

 other cut flowers. S. trilobata was very much admired. 



From Wm. Kenrick, Paeonies arboreas, var. Moutan 

 Banksii, &c.; Papaveracea; also. Herbaceous Pieonies 

 Double flowering white Hawthorn, Scarlet do. ; Tarta. 

 rean Honeysuckle, Corchorus Japonicus, Chinese Ber- 

 berry, Purple Beech, Iris, Bouquets, &c. 



From Jno. A. Kenrick, Azaleas, several varieties- 

 PfEony arhorea, 2 var ; Paiony herbaceous, 6 var. ; Gly- 

 cine sinensis, Scotch Laburnum, Tartarean Honey, 

 suckle, Arislolochia Sipho, Flesh-colored Horsechesnut, 

 Hawthorn, 3 var ; Magnolias, 2 var., &c. 



From Joseph Breck & Co., Tree Paeonies, 6 var. of 

 Herbaceous Peonies, Lychnes, flos cuculi, Hesperis, 

 Tulips, Phh>x divaricata, and a variety of cut flowers, 

 .■ilso specimens of a much admired variegated Moun- 

 tain Ash, very beautiful. 

 For the Comtnitice, 



J. BRECK, Chm'n. 



The committee on Hawthorns, Hardy Azaleas, Mag- 

 nolias, and Shrubby Fajonies, have attended to the duty 

 assigned them, and respectfully report that they have 

 awarded the following premiums, viz. 



For the best display of Hawthorns, a premium of $2 

 to Jno. A. Kenrick, ot Newton. 



For the best display of Hardy Azaleas, a premium of I 

 $.1, to Jno. A. Kenrick, of Newton. 



Tlie committee believing that ihe specimens exhibi- 

 ted of Pasonies and Magnolias, were not of sufficient 

 merit 10 receive the Society's premiums, have declined to 

 make any award. 



S. Walker, 

 J. Breck, 

 Parker Barnks, 



Committee. 



EXHIBITION OF FROITS. 



Fine specimens of Black Hamburg Grapes, Miller's 

 Burgundy and Sweetwater, from Wo.idland, Brookline, 

 by James Nugent, gardener to Mrs Howard. The spe- 

 oimens of the Hamburg were well colored and hio-hly 

 flavored. " 



Mr J. F. Allen, of Salem, presented some very beau- 

 tiful specimens of the Peach, viz : Royal George and 

 Grosse Mignonne ; the specimens of the former appear- 

 ed conscious of their merit, and fairly blushed at their 

 own beauty. Mr Allen also presented some fine speci- 

 mens of the " Black Fig of St. Michael," and Franconia 

 Raspberry — ripe and in fine order. 

 For the Committee, 



S. WALKER, Chm-n. 



■KXHIBITION OF VEGETABLES. 



Fine Aspar.igus was exhibited by Mr John Cum- 

 inings, jr., of Woburn. 



J. A. KENRICK. 



Simple Cure for H'orms. — One spoonful of syrup of 

 peach-blossoms, taken in a glass of thu water distilled 

 from the leaves, or in which the leaves and worm-seed 

 have been decocted, is a most safe and certain medicine 

 for the worms in children — U. S Receipt Book. 



