302 



INDIAN CORN. 



failed to make maize a popular grain, or its meal much relished 

 in Europe, and yet a number of excellent food products, as has 

 been stated, may be obtained from it. 



The soil best adapted to the crop is a sandy alluvial ; next to this, 

 a gravelly or slaty loam. Stiff clay is very objectionable. The most 

 approved manner of cultivation is as follows : Manure a clover-lay 

 with long unrotten manure, at the rate of twenty-five cubic yards to 

 the acre ; plough the same under not less than seven inches deep, 

 either in the autumn or spring. If the lay is old and stiff, plough 

 it early in autumn, if not, in the spring. Before planting, harrow and 

 pulverize the soil as much as possible. Then mark out with a light 

 plough, or an implement used to mark four rows at a time, in squares 

 of 3 feet. Drop in four to six grains at each crossing, covering 

 with the hand hoe lightly, not more than 2 inches deep. The drill 

 'barrow (Emery's) is coming much into favour for planting large 

 crops. It is a great labour-saving machine ; it marks the rows, 

 drops the seed at any required distance, and covers it in by once 

 passing over the land. Drawn by a single horse, it will plant from 

 ten to twelve acres per day. Soon after the plant appears above 

 ground, a top-dressing of gypsum, ashes, or lime, or a compost of all 

 of these, is usually applied, an ordinary handful to each hill. Soon 

 after the leaf begins to expand, the cultivator, or horse hoe, is run 

 between the rows, and the soil loosened and pulverized as much 

 as possible, followed by the hand hoe, that the surface may be made 

 clean of weeds and grass. After the plant is four or five inches 

 high go through again with the cultivator, and follow with the hand 

 hoe ; clean the crop, and thin it to not more than four stalks in 

 each hill ; if in drills, the rows should be 3 feet apart, and the 

 plants 1 foot apart in the row. The crop requires close attention, 

 and if the soil becomes stiff and hard, some implement to loosen it 

 should be used again ; but usually two thorough workings are suffi- 

 cient. After the grain becomes glazed, the stalks are cut close to 

 the ground, and set up in small stouts or shocks, to cure. In the 

 course of thirty days the corn is fit to husk and house ; and the 

 stalks, which may be stacked or housed, make a great deal of excellent 

 winter fodder for cattle. All the different varieties are cultivated 

 in the same manner. The yellow and white are the only varieties 

 that are grown to much extent. The yellow generally makes the best 

 crop, and will usually mature in about one hundred days after 

 planting. The time preferred for planting in the State of New York 

 is from the 15th to the 25th of May. 



The varieties of corn are numerous, and are continually increasing 

 by improvement, and the introduction of seed from one section to 

 another. It would be almost impossible to enumerate the many 

 varieties now cultivated, or to give the reasons why one is preferred 

 above the others. With proper cultivation in an ordinary season, 

 the crop should not be less than 60 bushels to the acre ; 100 bushels 

 is not an uncommon yield. The New York State Agricultural 

 Society require a yield of 80 bushels to the acre, to be entitled to a 

 premium. 



