THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
43 
gas,) is a very wonderful substance, tt unites 
with iron, when exposed to the atmosphere, lor 
any length of time, and converts it into rust ; it 
unites with melted pewter or lead, and converts 
them into dross, or oxyde, as it is called; it 
Unites with another kind of gas, called hydro- 
gen, and forms water. Yes, what perhaps it 
may surprise you to know, water is not a sim- 
ple, as most people suppose, but a compound 
substance, composed of oxygen and hydrogen 
gas. Both its decomposition and its composi- 
tion are common experiments in ev'ery chemi- 
cal room. 
Oxygen likewise is one of the ingredients in 
the composition ot acids, ail of which are com- 
pound substances ; hence, oxygen has been call- 
ed the great acidifying principle. Thus, it 
unites with sulphur, in the act of combustion, 
and forms sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol, as it 
was formerly called j it unites also with carbon 
or charcoal, when burning, and forms carbonic 
acid gas, already described; and hence, we see 
how the carbonic acid gas, which souietimes 
proves fatal in close shut bed-chambers, heated 
with burning charcoal, is produced. The oxy- 
gen in the atmosphere unites with the charcoal 
or carbon in burning, and thus produces this gas, 
so deleterious to life when breathed without a 
due proportion of atmospheric air mixed with 
it. 
These four elementary substances, ox}'gen, 
hydrogen, azote and carbon, possess a very won- 
derful agency in nature, and every one who has 
any wish to look beyond the mere surface of 
things, cannot but be gratified in knowing more 
about them. We shall have further occasion to 
speak of these substances in the Cabinet ; it is 
important, therefore, that the character and dis- 
tinguishing properties of each should be well 
understood. These are given in the following 
concise definitions, which are not to be forgot- 
ten, viz: 
49. Oxyg'n — is one of the constituent princi- 
ples of wafer; it is called vital or respirable air, 
and is essential both to the support of life and 
combustion. 
This sub^ance performs an important part in 
most of the changes which lake place in the 
mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. 
50. HyJiogen — ia one of the constituent prin- 
ciples of water; it is very inflammable, and 
was formerly called inflammable air. It is the 
lightest of all ponderable substances. 
This is the substance generally used in fill- 
ing air-balloons. It is readily obtained by the 
decomposition of water. Vegetables and ani- 
mals also iu a ^ate of decay and putrefaction 
afibrd it, and it i- evolved irom various mines 
and volcanoes. 
51. Azote — is that part of atmospheric air 
which is incapable ol supporting life or com- 
bustion. 
All combustible substances bum violently in 
pure oxygen gas, and if it was not diluted in the 
atmosphere by a large portion ot azote, it would 
be imposs'ble to extinguish any considerabiefire 
when once lighted up, and something like the 
general conflagration of the world would imme- 
diately commence. 
Azote exists abundantly in nature, forming 
the greater part of the atmosphere, and is one of 
the principal ingredients in animal substan- 
ces. 
52. Carbon— :r\s the pure part of charcoal. 
Carbon forms a large proportion of all vegeia- 
bles; it exists also in animals, but its quantitv 
is small. ^ 
53. Carbonic Acid— is a combination of car- 
bon and oxygen, in the proportions ot 18 parts 
carbon to 82 parts oxygen. 
An account of thjs substance has already been 
given under the article “ Acids.” It may here 
be added, that the sources of this acid are im- 
mense. It exists in the atmosphere ; it is found 
in abimdanee in many mineral waters, as at 
Ballston and Saratoga, in the State of New 
York; it is produced by thecombustion of wood 
and charcoal, by the lermentation of liquors, and 
by the decomposition or putrefaction of vegeta- 
ble substances ; but the largest store of it is that 
enormous quantity solidified or rendered solio 
in all the immense beds o chalk and limestone 
with waieh every part of the globe abounds. 
Of limestone, 45 parts in every 100 are com- 
puted to be carbonic acid. 
As before observed, when uncombined with 
any other substance, it always exists in the state 
ot gas. It is heavier than atmospheric air. If 
this gas be poured from a wide-mouthed jar up- 
on a lighted candle it will be as effectually ex- 
linguis ed as by water. 
54. Ejjervescence — is a sudden disengagement 
ol gas taking place within a liquid and separat- 
ing from it with a hissing noise. 
55. Chemical Affinity — is a term used to signi- 
fy the attraction or tendency there is between the 
pai tides of certain substances, ol different na- 
tures. to Unite, thereby forming a third substance 
possessing properties altogether different from 
those ofei'her of the two substances of which it 
is composed. 
Thus, potash and oil have a tendency to unite, 
thereby forming soap, which is a third substan e 
very different either from the oil or the potash, 
of which it is composed. 
Tnose substances which are capable of unit- 
ing in this manner, are said to have an affinity 
for each other as oil and potash ; but oil will not 
unite with water, and therefore those substances 
which do not form a chemical union, are said 
to have no affinity. 
56. Th? Primitive Earths — are four, viz : 
clay, sand, lime and magnesia. 
These are the only earths which enter into the 
composition of soil ; tliey enter also in very 
minute portions into the organization of plants. 
Sand and clay are by far the most abundant ; 
lime is required but in small proportions ; eve- 
ry soil, however, is defective without it. Mag- 
nesia is found but in few soils; its place is well 
supplied by lime ; its entire absence, therefore, 
is not considered any defect. 
(To be continued.) 
Ffotn the Albany Cultivator. 
INDIAN CORN. 
In actual value to the country, it is probable 
our Indian corn crop is not exceeded by any oth- 
er of our agricultural products. Adapted, in 
some of its varieties, to every part of the United 
States; exceeded in nutritive powers by few, if 
any, of the cultivated plants; cultivated with 
great ease, and only requiring one season for its 
perfection, it is not surprising that corn should 
be a general favorite, and that more land should 
be employed in the production of this crop, than 
any other one. The corn crop of the United 
States may safely be estimated at 400,000,000 
of bushels; and its value ^125,000,000 annual- 
ly. Immense as is the quantity ol corn produ- 
ced, it must be evident to all, that tliis quantity 
might be greatly increased, even were no more 
land devoted to its culture, by a more skilful 
husbandry. It is only by this course, indeed, 
in the older States, that any increase of quantity 
is to be expected, since no considerable addition 
of land to that already devoLed to this crop, can 
consistently be made. In the great valley of 
the Mississippi, it is impossible to set limits to 
the quantity that might be annually grown, 
should the demand induce the population to di- 
vert their productive energies into that channel. 
There are few crops which show the effect of 
skilful cultivation more strongly than that ol 
corn ; and this marked improvement should in- 
duce the farmer, instead of adding to bis num- 
ber of acres in corn, to adopt that course which 
will give him the greatest crops, leaving the 
surplus acres to other uses. If a man, by good 
culture, can obtain from ten acres of land the 
same crop which it now takes from fifteen to 
twenty to give, then prepare the land so as to ob- 
tain the g'eater amount. That there are thou- 
sands of acres that now do not yield more than 
from 30 to 40 bushels to the acre, that would, 
with thorough culture, yield from 70 to 80, none 
acquainted with our agriculture can doubt. But 
we have heard it said, If 1 employ all my la- 
bor and manure on ten acres, the remainder of 
ijjy fields must suffer.” The answer is easy: 
wh)'^ cultivate 20, when you can get the same 
quantity from 10 ] and will rest from cropping 
be more injurious to the soil, than the exhaust- 
ing process of cropping without manuring ? 
Why spread the labor and the manure that ap- 
plied to ten acres would give 800 bushels of 
corn, over thirty, and in the end receive but 600 
bushels'? Let it be remembered, too, that a 
piece ofland, once thoroughly fitted and manured 
i'orcorn, is fitted to produce a succession ot good 
crops, wh ci., in all probabilit 3 ^ would more 
than repay, in their extra product, any extra ex- 
pense incurred for the corn. 
As the season for planting corn is approach- 
ing, we have collected from various sourcesj 
notices ol some remarkable corn crops, mode of 
culiuie, &c. In the selection of examples, re- 
ference has been had more to the details of treat- 
ment, than to the amount of the crop, as it is of 
but little use for a farmer to publish to the 
world that he has grown an extraordinary crop, 
unless he also shows how he has done it. For 
this reason, we have omitted some of the hea- 
viest crops of corn on record. And here we 
would remark, that in awarding the premiums 
for crops, our agricultural societies have not suf- 
ficiently insisted on full details of culture Irom 
the applicants, in consequence of this neglect 
of details, one great object of such associations 
has been deleated, and the good effected by them 
proportionably limited. This, every one must 
feel, who turns to the reports of the societies in 
the different States or counties, with the viewof 
ascertaining the best method ofculture in all its 
parts, of any given crop. 
The first instance we shall select is from the 
report ofa crop made by Mr. Stevens, ol Hobo- 
ken. We do this because it is one of the ear- 
liest of our great corn crops, and shows the ac- 
tion ofstreei sweepings or manure, very plainly : 
“ Mr. Stevens gave his ground three plowings 
before planting, and before the last plowing put 
on 70U cart loads of street manure. He then 
plante . in double rows 5^ feet asunder, dibbling 
in each grain. To do this with expedition and 
accuracy, he bored t vo rows of holes in a piece 
of board about four feet long, so as to form equi- 
lateral triangles, the sides of which were seven 
inches, as thus : 
**t:4:****: 
* H- * * * * * 
Into these holes he drove pegs 3| inches long_ 
As the corn was dropped into the holesso made 
a man followed with a basket of rotten dung’ 
with which he filled them up. During the sea-' 
son the corn was suckered three times. The 
intervals were repeatedly plowed, and the rows 
kept clean of weeds by hoeing and hand-weed- 
ing.” _ 
This corn was raised on a bet of 50 guineas 
between Mr. Stevens and a Mr. Ludlow\ Mr. 
L. planted his rows four ieet apart, and the corn 
8 inches from stalk to stalk in the rows. His 
ground was manured with 200 loads of street 
dirt. His crop was 98 bushels and 14 quarts 
per acre; Mr. Steven’s 118 bushels and 2 quarts 
per acre. Unless the great quantity of street 
manure used made it necessary, orthe condition 
of the soil was bad, no good rea.son can be giv- 
en for so many plowings for a corn crop. 
In 1831, B. Butler, Esq., of Chenango county, 
in this State, raised 140 bushels ol corn Irom one 
acre. The soil was a stiff loam, nearly cover- 
ed with small stones, of which 50 loads to the 
acre were taken off before tillage. It was plow- 
ed but once, but this was done in the best man- 
ner. Mr B. adds : 
“ We then drew on 25 cart loads, (about 25 
bushels to the load,) ol sheep manure, and 
spread it evenly on the furrow — rolled and har- 
rowed with tne furrow, with a light double har- 
row, containing 40 teeth, until it was a complete 
garden mold, and the earth well incorporated 
with the manure. Again picked off the stones, 
and again rolled and planted on the 22d and 23d 
of May, on an even surface, with the early 
small white flint corn steeped in aaolut.’onof 
