PRICE, THREE CENTS 
$ 1.00 PER YEAR. 
t flat and harrowing thoroughly. We fertilize with 
A MAMMOTH FARM INDUSTRY FOR CONNECTICUT. 
Where the Corn Is Grown. 
The towns in Connecticut bordering on the waters 
of Long Island Sound are noted for their beauty. It 
is not the splendor of architecture in public buildings, 
nor the imposing elegance of costly parks or private 
grounds, where rare and delicate flowers, shrubs and 
trees show evidence of the gardener’s skill. It is the 
quiet, restful beauty of nature and antiquity. The 
broad, well-kept streets, the smooth, green lawns that 
form the public squares, and the magnificent elms that 
shade them have stood almost unchanged for nearly 
two centuries. 
farmers living within a few miles of the center of this 
business have no idea of the amount of corn annually 
sent out. 
Desirous of getting at the facts in relation to this 
industry for the benefit of Rural readers, I called upon 
Mr. E. B. Clark, who was one of the pioneers in the 
business, and has practically made it what it is. He 
is an exceedingly modest man, and while very ready to 
furnish general facts, was very reticent about his own 
share in bringing the results about. I trust he will 
forgive me if I say that no man is better or more fav¬ 
orably known to the seed trade in America, and none 
stands higher in the estimation of his fellow towns¬ 
men. He was found hard at work in his seed barns 
stable manure as heavily as we can, spreading it on 
the plowed surface and harrowing it in. If we run 
short of manure, we scatter what we have over the 
whole field, and use commercial fertilizers to carry 
out the crop, We usually plant from May 15 to 25. 
We consider early planting an important point. 
While late-planted corn often gives a good yield, there 
is more risk from drought at the start, and from bad 
weather when we want to dry the crop in the autumn. 
Early-planted corn will usually produce the best crop, 
other things being equal. We also consider it an 
important point that the early varieties should be 
planted as early as possible, in order to perpetuate 
early characteristics. There is a constant tendency 
Among these towns Milford is at once one of the preparing a little order of 8,000 pounds of turnip seed to deteriorate in all varieties, and constant care has 
oldest and most beautiful. It occupies the southwest for immediate shipment, this quantity having been to be given to what might seem minor details, in 
corner of New Haven County, lying between the waters grown on eight acres. Mr. Clark is fortunate in hav- order to keep up the standard.” 
MEMBERS OF A CONNECTICUT SEEDS GROWING FIRM AT WORK. Fig. 105. 
of Long Island Sound and the Housatonie River, which 
divides it from Stratford, in Fairfield County. The 
country is fairly level, and its inhabitants are mainly 
engaged in agriculture. A half century ago, before 
the great West supplied the Eastern farmers with 
nearly all their grain, Milford was the Mecca of Con¬ 
necticut pilgrims who wished to purchase corn. The 
variety grown was a coarse, late, yellow flint, and the 
thrifty farmers used to sell it by the measured bushel, 
and keep it in the cellar so that it should measure all 
it ought! About 30 years ago the growing of garden 
seeds was commenced, and in the line of onion, carrot, 
turnip and similar seeds, the business reached quite 
large proportions. Foreign competition and other 
causes decreased the prices for these seeds, and one 
after another of the growers turned his attention to 
sweet corn as the more profitable crop. While other 
Beeds are yet grown to some extent, sweet corn may 
be called the leading crop. This industry has assumed 
ing four sons, who are most efficient assistants, and 
who have wisely decided to remain on the farm. 
Why Corn From This Place Is Famous. 
Why do you think this vicinity is the most favor¬ 
able place in which to grow seed corn ?” 
“ We have learned by experience that we are far 
enough north to avoid the glazing which injures the 
early varieties of sweet com in warmer latitudes, and 
as we lie between two large bodies of water, we are 
far enough south to avoid late spring and early fall 
frosts.” 
“ What is the best method of culture ?” 
“ Well, the method that suits us best is the hill or 
check row system. While larger returns may be 
secured from growing the crop in drills, the extra 
amount received will hardly pay for the extra labor 
involved, especially if one cultivates a large area. 
We prefer new, that is, turf land for corn, turning it 
“ What do you call ‘ pedigree ’ in corn ?” 
“ Nothing more or less than ‘pedigree’ in animals. 
It arises from a careful selection of the choicest ears 
for seed, year after year, giving preference to those 
that show most prominently the characteristics of the 
given variety one wishes to perpetuate. In the case 
of a new variety, this necessitates the discarding of a 
great proportion of the ears of earlier crops, as a new 
variety that is the result of cross-fertilization is often 
very uneven in character, and requires years of care 
to ‘ fix ’ it to a certain type. A new variety that is 
merely a ‘sport’ from some old sort, is also apt to 
settle back into the type of its original stock, and 
must be carefully grown to keep it up to the necessary 
standard of excellence.” 
“You speak of ‘fixing’ and of ‘sports;’ will you 
more fully explain these terms ?” 
“ Perhaps I can best do so by explaining cross¬ 
fertilization. The tassels of the corn bear the stami- 
