286 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



the observance of proper care in picking 

 the fruit, cJeansing the mill and apparatus, 

 and in properly preparing the casks for the 

 reception of the cider, a very superior ar- 

 ticle may be produced, and one which 

 will be drinkable without that contortion of 

 the facia! muscles too generally produced 

 by " old orchard " 



Every farmer should manufacture a suf- 

 ficiency of cider for domestic use. There 

 is always a portion of the apple crop that 

 can be much more econonucally employed 

 in the manufacture of cider, than in any 

 other way. Vinegar is an impoitant arti- 

 cle, and more or less of it is required, an- 

 nually, in every family. The best vinegar 

 is made of cider, if we except that from 

 wine, which, though always superior in 

 quality, is yet too expensive to be employed 

 for ordinary purposes. — Germaniovon Tele- 

 graph. 



THE CORN CROP— SELECTING SEED. 



This crop is becoming annually of more im" 

 portance in this country. A vs^riter in the Ohio 

 Farmer shows, that, while the production of 

 wheat, rye, and oats has relatively decreased in 

 proportion to the population of the country to 

 the amount of 46,000,000 bushels, Indian corn 

 has relatively increased to the amount of 61,- 

 000,000 bushels. He goes on to say : 



These facts are conclusive of a great agricul- 

 tural principle: that in our country, Indian 

 corn is the great cereal staple, and that with 

 grass it must be the grea.t basis of future pro- 

 duction, both in regard to men and animals. 



But while we discover this fact in our country, 

 we discover that precisely the reverse is the case 

 in other countries. Indian corn is not the 

 staple of any country out of America, The 

 necessary consequence of this is, that, as the 

 wants of Europe for breadstuffs increase, they 

 must be supplied with the only staple article of 

 grain which America can afford to send — that 

 is, Indian corn. This is one of the inevitable 

 results of the state of civilization and com- 

 merce which has grown up in the last half 

 century. The effect of that condition of things 

 is gradual but certain. Prior to 1845, we ex- 

 ported scarcely any Indian corn to Europe, 

 either in bulk or in pork or whiskey, which are 

 but the equivalents of corn. With the Irish 

 famine commenced the era of Indian corn ex- 

 portation. Leaving the years 1846-'7-'8 out of 

 view, the increase of corn exportation has been 

 gradual but regular. We give below the aver- 

 age export of corn and pork in 1837-'8-'9 and 

 the average of the same articles in 1852-'3-'4: 

 Average export of Corn in 1837- 



'8-'9, bushels ------- 902,000 



Average value of Pork, Lard, and 



. Bacon, in 1837-'8-'9, - - - - $1,538,368 



Average amount of Corn exported 



in bulk and pork in 1837-'8-'9, - 3,266,948 

 Average amount of Corn exported 



in 1852-'3-'4, ------- 7,892,000 



Average value of Pork, Lard, and 



Bacon, exported in 1852-'3-'4, - $5,682,000 

 Average amount of Corn exported 



in bulk and pork in 1852-'3-'4, - 14,969,495 



We see by the above table that the average 

 amount of Indian corn exported to Europe has 

 increased nearly five-fold in eighteen years. It 

 doubles in about seven years, leaving out the 

 great increase occasioned by such contingencies 

 as the Irish famine. Such is the condition of 

 Europe, however, that this increase will now pro- 

 ceed with accelerated velocity. There can be 

 no doubt that the period is not far off when we 

 shall export in bulk and in pork, beef, lard, and 

 tallow, more than one hundred millions of hushels 

 of corn per annum, and when this export and 

 that of wheat, oats, and rye, will be more valua- 

 ble than that of cotton, rice, and sugar. 



It is impossible to over estimate the importance 

 of the corn crop to this country, and he is doing 

 an injury to the nation who so manages his land 

 as to make it incapable of profitably producing 

 this crop. 



It is gratifying to see that the quantity which 

 an acre of ground Avill produce is being demon- 

 strated to be greater than could have been be- 

 lieved possible a few years ago ; yet the average 

 yield does not keep pace with these demonstra- 

 tions. The reason of this is generally that but 

 little advance is made by the mass of farmers on 

 the old method of preparing the ground and cul- 

 tivation, but probabl}^ the most common cause is 

 the total neglect to select the very best corn for 

 seed. The too common practice is to go or send 

 to the crib at planting time, and either take at 

 random or select the best ears in reach for plant- 

 ing. We conceive the careful selection of seed 

 corn to be one of the most important steps to- 

 ward an increased average yield per acre, and 

 we are satisfied that any one who will select their 

 seed carefully, for a few seasons, will agree with 

 us in that opinion. 



Farmers in this vicinity will probably recollect 

 that for the last five years Mr. Wm. Barnhill, of 

 Oldham county, has taken the first premium for 

 corn, at the Eminence fairs, and those who have 

 had an opportunity of seeing his corn will agree 

 with the judges as to its merits. The following 

 extract from a private letter of this gentleman, 

 published in the Commercial Review, will show 

 how he produces this valuable variety: 



By diligent care and judgment applied in se- 

 lecting seed through the husking and feeding 

 season for twelve years, the writer has produced 

 a variety, as he conceives, well suited to the 

 South and West. This variety of corn is a rich 

 golden yellow; the ears are of good medium size, 

 and over the usual length ; the grain broad, full, 

 and deep, with a very small tender cob, and yields 

 equal to any corn I have ever seen. It is well 

 suited to all kinds of stock, especially hogs and 



