SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
61 
REPORT ON CORN, READ BEFORE^ THE 
New'bury Agricultural Society. ' 
CORN, VARIETIES, USES, CULTURE, MEANS OP PRODUCING THE 
LARGEST CROPS, HARVSSTINO, &C. 
Every one who is conversent with ftirming, is aware 
of the great difference in the capacity of the soil for grow- 
ing good crops of corn. A deep, rich, moist soil is best 
adapted for corn. The corn crop is of vast importance; 
and no farmer can get along well without it, as wc mainly 
depend upon it for bread ; and it is generally considered 
the most wholesome we use; and on the corn crop we 
mainly depend for a supply for our stock. In fact, no 
farmer can feel truly independent without a good supply. 
Full cribs and fat stock are what the farmer delights to 
look at. And for us to feel truly our dependence for a 
supply of this, one of our greatest temporal blessings, we 
have only to refer back to 1846, then was witnessed the 
effects of a short crop ; and poor stock was the result, a 
sight that no person likes to look at In fact, if we wish 
to be truly prosperous people, we must raise plenty of 
corn, and by that means we may be able to raise a plenty 
of horses, mules and hogs, and not be dependent on Ken 
tucky fora supply. And as we desire the prosperity of 
our District and State, we say to one and all, rai'ie your 
own stock, which can be done in Newberry; for the stock 
exhibited on the Fair ground at the annual exhibition, 
will amply prove it; and then, and not umil then, can it 
be said of us that we are a truly independent and pros- 
perous people. 
VARIETY. 
Of the different varieties of corn, we prefer the large 
white variety, a cross between the flint and gourd-seed ; 
it makes a beautiful bread, and is not so hard for stock as 
the flint variety, and is much firmer than the gourd- 
seed Any of the different varieties may be greatly 
improved with proper attention. Every farmer should 
gather his seed from the field at gathering time, by 
going over and selecting from the best spots, the stalks 
that have two or more ears, and put it away carefully 
with the simek on till planting time. It should then he 
shacked, and the ears with the largest grains and the 
smallest cobs selected, and both ends shelled off and the 
centre taken. 
USES. 
We have but little to say about the uses, as it is an 
easy matter to use it after it is made. We would recom- 
mend the praciice of grinding and cooking it for stock, 
instead of the old plan of feeding it whole, as it is said to 
be a saving of at least one-third. 
SCtliTORB, THE MEANS OP PRODUCING THE LARGEST CROP) 
HARVESTING, 4C. 
Upon the preparation of the soil mainly depends our 
success ; for we cannot reasonably expect a large yield 
without a thorough preparation. If the land to be planted 
in corn is stubble, it should be turned over in the fall, in 
the latter part of October, or the first of November, with a 
two horse turning plow, from four to six inches deep, fol- 
lowed in the same furrow by one of Broil’s two-horse 
subsoils, as deep tis two mules can draw it, and remain 
till planting time; and no stock should be permitted to 
run on it. But if after cotton, which plan we prefer, be- 
cause it is very difficult to get a stand on stubnle, on ac- 
eouni of the bud worm, and corn grows off much better 
after cotton. The cotton stalks should be plowed up in 
JarHiary, by running two or three times in the rows with 
a long scooter plow, and let it stand till just before plant- 
ing rime It should then be plowed deep and close with 
a sMbsoil scooter plow, and if the land is broken or hilly, 
and has not been ditched, it should be, for every farmer try 
to save his land, and this is one important step towards it; 
this being completed the manure or the cotton seed 
should be hauled on the land, and if the land is hiijh and 
dry and the season suit-', the planting should commence 
about the 10th df March. The same process should be 
followed on stubble, as on cotton land. If the land is le- 
vel the rows can be run straight, but if broken and 
ditched, the rows should be laid off by the ditches, com- 
mencing at the upper ditch and filling out to the lower 
ditch; the rows should be five feet wide, laid off with a 
gauge, which can be done very easily by a very simple 
arrangement It is the only plan to get the rows all of a 
width. Where the rows are horizontal, we recom- 
mend the practice of drilling, as it is the only plan that 
can be followed on broken land, and it has the advantage 
m cultivation. Part of the roots are not cut, and it will 
yield more to the land than hilled corn ; the rows should 
be laid off with a shovel plow; followed by a two-horse 
subsoil plow as deep as it can be drawn, the seed should 
then be dropped in the bottom of the furrow, about 
twenty-eight inches apart, or an ordinary step on ordi- 
nary land. The better the land the closer it should be, 
and from three to five grains should be dropped in a 
place. It is better to thin out than to re plant, whick 
rarely ever pavs The dropping should be done by a 
carefel hand. The cotton seed or manure should be put 
in the bottom of the furrow, a handful close to the corn 
on both sides, it should then be covt^red by throwing 
two light scooter furrows on it, making a nice sharp 
ridge. As soon as it commences coming up the ridge 
should be boarded as harrowed off, as soon as it is well 
UD it it should be re-planted, and run round with a sub- 
soil, and followed by a scooter plow, making four fur- 
rows to the row; the hoes should then follow and chop 
it to a stand, leaving ane stalk in a place, and put a little 
dirt to it; it will then stand from three to four weeks; it 
should then be run round with a wing scooter, the wing 
to the corn, lapping the furrow nicely ; the hoes should 
be dropped in the furrow half way between the hills of 
corn, the rows should then be plowed cut with the sho- 
vel plow, with a wing on next the corn, which will lap 
the furrow out smooth and nice ; it will then stand from 
two to three weeks ; it should then be plowed with the 
sweep plow; the hoes should then follow and chop out 
the weeds and grass. It is then laid by, which should 
be done when the forward stalks commence showing 
the tassel. The time to commence saving fodder is whea 
the corn commences gening hard, it is belter to loos« 
some fodder than injure the corn. The f )dder when pull- 
ed should not remain more than one day exposed to the 
sun ; it should then be gathered together and piled, and 
remain until it goes through a sweat ; it should then be 
spread, and when dry should be hous' d. The proper 
time for gathering corn is as soon as the first killi ng frost 
comes; it should then be gathered and housed dry. That 
intended for bread, or to keep for a length of time, should 
be put up in the shuck ; it will keep for several years, if 
this plan is followed. 
Respectfully submitted, 
John R. Spearman, Chairman. 
[ Conservoiist:. 
Tobacco for Wire-Worms. — Hiram Spear, ofSprin^f- 
fieW, Bradford Co., Pa., says tobacco will efftctually pre- 
vent wire-worms from destroying seed-corn. Boil one 
pound of good tobacco in water enough to cover a bush^ 
of seed corn; pour the liquid on boiling; stir till cool ^ 
epre.ad the corn to cool, and plant He says the root and 
sprout will partake of the tobacco sufficient to prevant 
worms touehbg if. It is easy tried.— 
