490 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



we calculate that the stalks, husks and buts of 

 an acre of corn are about as valuable as the hay 

 grown on any other acre of "mowing," on the 

 farm, we must consider the stover as well as the 

 grain, in comparing the advantages of an early 

 and late corn harvest. The husks and buts that 

 remain in the field till late are not as valuable for 

 fodder as those harvested in October, but the 

 grain itself, except the ears that fall to the ground, 

 is not injured by wet or cold. 



What a wonderful plant, or grass, as the botan- 

 ists call it, this Indian corn is. Who does not 

 like to watch its growth. 



When, like a column of Corinthian mould, 

 The stalk struts upward, and the leaves unfold ; 

 Or when the strong foliage bears the standards high ; 

 And shoots the tall top-gallants to the sky ! 



Equally beautiful is a field of corn when the 

 golden ears peep modestly through the husks 

 white already to the harvest. There is something 

 animating in the corn crop, from beginning to end, 

 especially in the rich aj^pearauce of the ripened 

 grain. Change a company of laborers from dig- 

 ging potatoes to gathering corn, and every man 

 and boy will not only stand up straighter, but his 

 eye will be brighter, his motions quicker, and his 

 song or voice more cheerful. 



Beautiful as this crop is, its wonderful utility 

 will still be regarded by farmers as its chief recom- 

 mendation. The different parts of the crop are 

 already used in a great variety of ways, and others 

 may yet be discovered. We lately saw the state- 

 ment in the newspapers that a foreigner had filed 

 his application, with specimens, for a patent for 

 various uses made of maize shucks. The varie- 

 ties include yarn, maize cloth, paper of beautiful 

 qualities, white and colored, from silk to parch- 

 ment texture, maize flour, &c. 



Corn husks have been used in the manufacture 

 of common paper for many years, and are an ex- 

 cellent material for under-beds. William Cobbett 

 wrote a book after his return to England, recom- 

 mending corn as food for man and beast, which 

 was printed on paper made of corn husks. He 

 also smoked them in his pipe as a substitute for 

 sobacco leaves. Would that his example in this 

 respect might be followed by all Americans who 

 must smoke in other people's faces ! 



The Area of the Great American Lakes. — 

 The five great lakes of North America have lately 

 been surveyed, and it is found that they cover an 

 urea of 90,000 square miles. The total length of 

 the five lakes is 1534 miles. Lake Superior, at 

 its greatest length, 3u<5 miles ; its greatest breadth 

 is IGO miles ; mean depth, 'JS8 feet; elevation 

 above the sea, 627 feet ; area, 32,000 square 

 miles. J^ake Michigan is 360 miles long ; its 

 greatest breadth is 108 miles ; its moan depth is 

 900 feet ; elevation, 687 feet ; area, 20,000 square 

 miles. Lake Huron, in its greatest length, is 200 



miles ; its greatest breadth is 160 miles ; mean 

 depth 300 feet ; elevation, 574 feet ; area 20,000 

 square miles. Lake Erie is 250 miles long ; 

 greatest breadth 80 miles ; mean depth, 200 feet ; 

 elevation 555 feet ; area 6000 square miles. Lake 

 Ontario has a length of 180 miles, and its mean 

 breadth is 65 miles ; mean depth, 500 feet ; eleva- 

 tion above the ocean, 262 feet ; area 6000 square 

 miles. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 COKRESPOK-DENCE FROM MAINE. 

 POTATO ROT. 



Since about the 15th of September the farmers 

 have been discovering this disease on their pota- 

 toes. They looked remarkably well in this section, 

 considering the dry times, till the rust began to 

 come upon them. It does not appear now that it 

 will be any thing near like some years ago, but is 

 more extensive than for three years past. The 

 breadth planted has been rather on the increase, 

 for a few years, to be fed out to stock, on account 

 of the rot being less prevalent, the starch facto- 

 ries not buying them up, and a higher value set 

 upon them for feed for sheep and stock, by the 

 farmers. 



WHEAT, CORN AND OATS. 



Wheat is good — better than 1861, and more 

 was sowed than for many years past — but not 

 quite as good as in 1860. It has to be sown just 

 as early in the spring as the land will admit of the 

 teams working without "mudding it in," so as to 

 get it ahead of the insects. It has proved the best 

 way, to fit the land ready to sow, late in the pre- 

 vious fall, as far as I have seen or lieard,^and then 

 as soon as dry enough, sow the wheat. Some have 

 contended that if the snow Avas not oft' so as to 

 sow in April, it was safe and best to sow upon the 

 snow, or in the mud and water ; but my expe- 

 rience is, wheat sown on snow-drifts, in mud-pud- 

 dles, or the like, in early spring, has not vegetated 

 sufficiently to warrant the practice. 



Corn is a light crop, but much better than was 

 even hoped for in August. The worms and 

 drought in the spring injured it materially, so 

 much that it did not entirely recover, though 

 September has done wonders in the cornfields. 

 There was more ])lanted than last year. 



The oat crop is full an average, yet not so many 

 were sown as in some years ; but as the aphis in- 

 jured the crops but little, they will yield better 

 than last year. 



FROSTS AND THE WEATHER. 



August gave Franklin County, as well as most 

 parts of the State, frosts on the 18th, 24th, and 

 31st, each doing some damage to the "tender 

 vines," and in many places nij)ping the corn 

 leaves rather close. September, too, on tlie 22d 

 and 25th, still harder. October 1st, a very hard 

 frost, not slighting any of the vegetables along 

 Sandy river, which it is usual for Jack Frost to 

 greet with a withering kiss. 



The weather, for harvesting, through September, 

 has been delightful. Had it not been so the crops 

 would have suffered, because the last 600,000 tal- 

 lied among the hired help upon the farms, as well 

 as among the farmers and farmers' sons. The 

 streams are low — very low. O. W. True. 



Elm Tree Farm, near Phillips, Oct. 3, 1862. 



