Tflb <l*rops. 
CJORN CULTURE. 
At what time, in the rotation of crops, 
should the corn crop be planted ? is a ques¬ 
tion often occurring to the observing farmer. 
Experiences vary, but the majority have the 
best success on newly turned sod. My 
practice is to plow sod which has lain in 
pasture two or three preceding seasons, ap¬ 
plying a good coat of manure the previous 
fall, in October or November; spread evenly 
from the wagon us fast as drawn; this 
method of applying manure 1 know is still 
a mooted question, but am satisfied that in 
a majority of cases this is the best practice; 
still, cavefully conducted experiments will 
often vary in results, even on the same farm, 
as the season, soil and other things beyond 
our control, all operate to affect the result; 
eacli must experiment and decide for himself, 
as what would be good policy in one locality 
might be ruinous in another. 
The best time to plow is just previous to 
planting. Do not commence too soon, not 
until the ground will turn up mellow; every 
one should calculate about the amount of 
lime it will take to lit the ground, and if too 
wet when you wish to commence, perhaps t he 
plowing can be wifely delayed a few days. 
Let all the grass grow that will previous 
to the first, of May; (for this section) all weed 
seeds in manure and on the surface of the 
ground will by this time be sprouted, and 
with the grass make almost an extra coat of 
manure. 
In plowing commence in center of the 
field, buck-furrowing the whole field, thus 
you will have a field with not a particle of 
it trodden solid in turning, as you turn each 
corner on unplowed land and with no dead 
furrow ; a little practice will enable you to 
finish without carrying a furrow. 
As soon as plowed harrow well; a good 
plan is to barrow each morning that plowed 
the previous day. The proper time to plant, 
let the location be what it may, can be de¬ 
termined by observing the natural vegetation 
and the warmth of the soil. Whenever the 
ground is warm enough to cause a speedy 
germination and growth, then is the time to 
plant. My rule is to plant when the apple 
is in full bloom. 
Much has been said in regard to hills vs. 
drills. 1 have tried every way from 4 by 4, 
3 by 3, to drilling with horse drill, and have 
found that the best results will be attained in 
planting in drills about three and one-hali 
feet apart, and putting hills about eighteen 
inches apart, leaving only two stalks to each 
hill. 
The great difficulty with those who drill 
is that they do not thin sufficiently. Drills 
should run north and south. Three' inches 
is about the proper depth for planting. As 
soon as the corn begins to push through the 
ground start the drag, going diagonally 
across t he drills, paying no lieed to the corn ; 
for if planted at that depth you will not de¬ 
stroy a hill; go over the piece ftl least once 
each week until the corn is of such a bight 
that the drag will break it oil', when use a 
wheel cultivator, or any of the various im¬ 
plements. The thinning should be done 
about the last of June, and directly after 
harvest go through and cut out any remain¬ 
ing weeds, &c. 
Tlic Varieties of Corn 
are numerous, differing in color, form, size 
of ear aud kernel, time of ripening and yield. 
History informs us that the Indians had corn 
of different colors—red, white, blue, yellow, 
&c.—and, that they understood the laws of 
admixture, aud planted each kind by itself, 
and that certain kinds were peculiarly adapt¬ 
ed to certain localities. In selecting the va¬ 
riety for field culture, we should talce into 
consideration these differences, and plant 
that sort best adapted to our soil and loca¬ 
tion ; actual test alone will determine this 
point. Change of seed is often of great ben¬ 
efit, and, when such change is made, should 
be in nearly the same latitude. In shelling 
corn for seed, discard the bats and tips, 
using only the central portion of each ear, 
as the early blade and root are in size in 
proportion to Ihe kernel used; and a plant 
from ihe large grains of the center of the 
car will get the start and beep ahead of the 
small ones from the tip. This is not all 
theory, but the resuli of experiments with 
seed from the different portions of the car, 
tips producing (as a rule) much smaller ears 
than buts or central ones: buts producing 
many one-sided, deformed ears, and not fill¬ 
ing out well. 
Much also depends upon the season. Wit¬ 
ness the almost unprecedented crop of last 
season. Still we can do much to overcome 
the unfavorableness of the season. If dry, 
constant working aud stirring of the soil will 
enable it to absorb sufficient moisture from 
the atmosphere; if wet, thorough surface 
drainage is necessary. 
In Shelling Corn, 
save the cobs. Most farmers throw them 
into the manure pile. This is poor econ¬ 
omy, as they are slow to decay, and a source 
of perpetual trouble. Rather put them into 
the wood-house, or some other dry place, 
and use as fuel; they make a quick and 
very hot fire, excellent for summer use, and 
excellent kindlings. A few shavings and a 
handful or two of dry cobs will start a fire 
as quick as any kindlings I have ever used ; 
and the ashes make the best of soap. 
The following is a detailed statement of 
last season’s crop, taken from my ledger. 
Soil is a sandy loam, and corn planted with 
one of Emery’s planters; drills three and 
one-half feet apart, thinned to ten inches in 
the drill. Amount of land, nine acres and 
six rods. None of this account is estimated, 
the field being charged each day with all 
work done thereon, at the rate of one dollar 
per day for each man’s nr team’s work; and 
for fractional parts of the day ten cents per 
hour: 
Dr. 
May 14, to plowing...* 10 00 
" 17. to harrowing... 4 00 
" IS, to planting. 2 00 
“ IS, to Need... 2 75 
•Tone ."w. to cultivating...- 16 25 
.Inly 10, to thinning and cutting weeds... 7 00 
HopU 15, to cutting. 14 50 
Nov. 7, to husking and cribbing. 8 00 
Dec. 8. drawing stalks. 5 50 
Total cost of corn.1125 00 
Clt. 
Nov. 7, by 1.230 baskets corn st80cts„.*366 00 
Dec. 8, 8.700 biiiiiilfM stalks at 2>fct#. 67 50 
“ twenty loads pumpkins. 20 00 
Total.,...*453 60 
Profit...*328 50 
To the cost of cultivation should be added 
interest on money invested in land, $42.20; 
taxes, $1.50 ; wear of tools, estimated, $2.00 
—$45.70, mukingatotal cost of $170.70. 
Ten baskets were weighed, weight, 423 
pounds, shelled ; and 357 pounds shelled 
corn obtained. This would give 777.42-56 
bushels of shelled corn, costing 22 cents per 
bushel. O. Burras. 
North Fairfield, Ohio. 
- 4 - 4-4 - 
POTASH AND POTATOES. 
Tile Hearth and Home of April 29th says: 
“ We cannot tell from analysis what is the 
special requirement of any particular crop. 
We must give up speaking of potatoes and 
turnips as ‘ potash crops,’ and of clover as a 
* lime crop,’ The probabilities are, that a 
plant which contains a large amount of pot¬ 
ash will have roots capable of absorbing it 
from very weak solutions; and consequently, 
in ordinary farm practice, potash would be 
the last element that need be applied as 
manure for that crop.” 
Now we all know, who have read the re¬ 
sults of analysis, that the ashes of a burned 
potato are about half potash, consequently 
when all the soluble potash in the soil is ex¬ 
hausted by cropping, it. must, be supplement¬ 
ed by vegetable manure rich in potasb, or 
by the application of the muriate or nitrate 
of potaslx from the dry snlterers, as it is im¬ 
possible for the roots of the potato plant to 
extract soluble potash from the insoluble 
granitic silicates of the stones in the soil, 
sufficient for the growth of the tubers. 
In England, where the farmers are tenants, 
with a heavy rent to pay, they cauuot afford 
to be ignorant of the right application of 
both special and stall manures, us required 
by their different crops. Hence, the farmer 
who has little vegetable manure, will either 
apply that little to his potato crop, for its 
potash, or he will supply muriate of potash 
in its place, and perhaps Peruvian guano to 
supply phosphate of lime and ammonia for 
a full crop. An experimental farmer, no 
longer ago than last month, writes to the 
Mark Lane Express thus:—' 1 Though abund¬ 
ance of experiments upon phospltatic aud 
nitrogenous manures are extant in our agri¬ 
cultural books, those upon potasb are few, 
and not readily found. Having tried it very 
thoroughly on potatoes, I send you some 
particular results, which will, I hope, prove 
useful to some of your readers who are about 
to grow potatoes.” 
Here follow the details of thirteen experi¬ 
ments in which the muriate of potash is gen- 
erally used with other manures, occupying 
too much space for the limits ot this article; 
suffice it to say that 4 owt. of muriate of pot¬ 
ash, with 4 cwt. superphosphate, applied to 
an acre of land, produced 7 tons 6 cwt. and 
89 lbs. of potatoes. On another acre, 15 tons 
of farm-yard manure produced but 111 lbs. 
more, while another acre, manured with 4 
cwt. superphosphate And 4 cwt. salt, pro¬ 
duced the first year, 6 tons 16 cwt., and the 
next year but 4 tons 7 cwt., w T ith the same 
manure and no potash. The writer says, “ I 
have tried the effect of potash rnamire upon 
grains and grasses, and cannot advise their 
application to the grains as a profitable in¬ 
vestment. Upon a clover crop the effect of 
potash is very marked, and wheu applied in 
moderate quantity, say under 20s. cost per 
acre, will generally prove profitable, {{quali¬ 
ty is wanted; but where a great weight of 
rye grass is wanted, the addition of potash to 
the manure is not profitable, though the 
quality is improved. It has also shown prof¬ 
itable results when applied to turnips.” 
He also says, “As the practical result of 
very numerous experiments, I recommend 
for potatoes, per acre, superphosphate of 
lime, 6Vo cwt.; muriate of potash, 3 cwt.; 
sulphate of ammonia, 2 % cwt. This will 
he found for potatoes, much better and safer 
as regards disease, than farm-yard manure ; 
and if the latter is valued at 8s. per ton on 
the field, the above mixture will be found 
also cheaper, even taking into consideration 
the after effect of farm-yard manure.” s. w. 
- 4 - 4-4 - 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Norway Oivtr. I," n profit able. 
Is the Rural Nfw-Yorker, April 22, 
“Old Subscriber” wishes to know how 
many Norway oate to sow to the acre on 
laud that would grow a large crop of com¬ 
mon yellow or black oats. If Norway oats 
are not more successfully grown in North 
Chili, Monroe Co., N. Y., than they arc 
around here, I would say to Oid Subscriber 
sow no Norways, but sow three bushels of 
good yellow oats to the acre Instead. Last 
year I experimented with Norway oats to 
my satisfaction. I had a small piece of very 
rich land which had been planted to cab¬ 
bages the year before. 1 sowed one-half to 
Norways at the rate of a bushel or a little 
over to the acre; on the other half the same 
amount of common yellow oats. Result: 
yellow oats a fair crop, very little rusted; 
Norways, three or four days later, badly 
rusted and about half the amount of oats 
that there were of yellow. 1 presume the 
yield of both kinds would have been larger 
bad I sown more to the acre. The general 
opinion in this place is that Norway oats 
are a humbug.—W. E. M., Wallmlle, Pa. 
Early (jonilrlcli Potatoes. 
In the spring of 1869 I planted Early 
Goodrich potatoes in drills, one eye to the 
piece, about twelve inches apart, on one- 
fourth of an acre of ground, (previous year’s 
sod,) from which I dug one hundred and 
twenty bushels nice potatoes. 
Early Rote Potatoes. 
Last year, from two Early Rose potatoes, 
I raised three pecks, which was not a good 
yield, as the Colorado bugs troubled them 
and tlie potatoes were small They are now 
dry, mealy and of fine flavor. 
Carrot*. 
I have also raised carrots here, (long, yel¬ 
low and orange varieties,) at the rate of 
thirteen hundred bushels per acre, largest 
weighing five pounds. If seed fails to grow 
in good soil, as your correspondent com¬ 
plains of, 1 should conclude it was not good 
or fresh. I have never had any trouble in 
starting the seed. Plant deeper ibau seeds¬ 
men recommend.—S. D. L. Bai.dwtn, Cedar 
Mills , Minn. , April 7. 
Curl ns Tobacco In Cuba. 
Tite secret ofv^fTng tobacco in Cuba, it is 
said, lies in dampening the tobacco with wa¬ 
ter previous to packing it in casks or bar¬ 
rels, which gives to it the desirable qualities 
of elasticity, increased freedom in burning, 
superior aroma, and softness of texture. 
irrbsnurn. 
NOTES TOE HERDSMEN. 
To Remove Film From tlie Eye* of Cat¬ 
tle and llorscs. 
1 use powdered sugar. 11 is effectual and 
not in the least dangerous to the animal.— 
A. P. K., Niks, Michigan. 
Sure Cnre for Ho veil. 
I send you, if not new, a sure cure for 
hoven:—Pour down the animal a gill or 
more of oil, or melted grease of any kind, 
and a cure will be effected in from ten to 
twenty minutes.—A Subscriber. 
To Cure Hollow Horn. 
My remedy is bleeding. I bleed in tlie 
neck just as you would a horse. One thor¬ 
ough bleeding usually effects a cure. I have 
known cattle to eat heartily immediately af¬ 
ter being bled that bad refused food before. 
Tlie remedy was made known to me by an 
eminent physician, formerly of Dutchess Co., 
N. Y., and I would recommend it to the pub¬ 
lic.— A. P. K. 
Cost of Keeping Cattle. 
A Texas correspondent of the Rural 
New-Yorker “ would like to see a thorough 
explanation of stock raising at the North— 
the cost per head, cost of keeping one y ear.” 
Tlie cost varies so much with locality and 
mode of husbandry in vogue, that we shall 
be glad if our readers in various localities 
will give us, concisely and briefly, any figures 
they may have in answer to this inquiry— 
including the mode of feeding, &c. 
Self-Wuckiiur Cows. 
We think G. It D.’s crown of thorns for 
self-sucking cows rather cruel in fly-time. 
I bad a bad one, aud effected a cure which 
she thought was nice as long as she had any 
opinion, and I found profitable in the end, 
to wit:—I put on a good halter, put her in a 
good stall, had her kept clean, and fed as 
much cooked meal as she would eat, until 
her milking season ran nearly out, and then 
sent her to the butcher. Her milk paid well 
for the extra feed aud care, and the beef was 
splendid.— b. 
COTTON SEED FOR MANURE. 
E. W. H. of the University of Mississippi, 
writes the Rural South Land as follows: 
The common observation of farmers that 
previously heated cotton seed is a very slow 
manure, does not at, all prove that its decom¬ 
position is too slow to render its mineral or 
ash ingredients available to the first crop. 
The experience of any one who has handled 
cotton seed meal, proves the reverse; aud 
the indubitable fact tlmt the latter is not as 
good, but a much better fertilizer than the 
whole seed, does not prove at all that the ni¬ 
trogen contained in both is their mainly ac¬ 
tive element, of fertility. 
I have lately analyzed whole seed that had 
remained in the soil for twelve months, hav¬ 
ing heated without germinating. It still 
contained seveniy-five per cent, of all the 
phosphates present in the fresh seed 1 But 
where tlie hull had been broken to the least 
extent, either by germination or otherwise, 
not a trace of the contents remained; the 
roots had consumed it all. 
Moreover, eotton seed allowed to heat be¬ 
tween layers of soil, kept moist, and shoveled 
over repeatedly and thoroughly , (whereby 
ninety per cent, or more of the hulls are 
broken,) forms, in the course of some months, 
a most energetic and efficient manure. 
While, therefore, in the whole seed, the hull 
prevents the access of the roots to the soil- 
ingredients stored up in the kernel,-so that 
tlie gaseous products alone can benefit ihe 
crops the first year; the seed-cake meal on 
tlie contrary, yields up all the fertilizing in¬ 
gredients it contains to the first crop, and 
that in the course of a few weeks, if called tor, 
as experiments have shown. 
In order to make the entire ingredients— 
phosphates, potash, ammonia and all—avail¬ 
able the first, year, it is only necessary either 
to i rush the seed, whether whole or hulled, 
fresh, or killed by beating; or allowed to 
germinate, which by simple precaution can 
be done without any loss of “ nitrogen," 
(say rather, ammonia.) Whether, however, 
all things considered, the crushing process 
may not, upon proper conditions, be most 
profitably left to the oil mill, is a question 1 
will not now discuss. But you may depend 
upon it that whenever we shall take proper 
care to remove the impediment offered by the 
cotton seed hull to the assimilation of soil- 
ingredients by the roots, they will become 
fully available the first year ; and tho “ uitro* 
gen ” will then, as usual, take care of itself. 
- 4 - 4-4 - 
ECONOMICAL NOTES. 
Tannery Refuse for Mauare. 
A. II., Ithaca, N. T., writes:—“Will you 
or some of your correspondents tell the best 
known method of preparing and utilizing 
horns and other tannery refuse for manure?” 
We know of no better mode than to incor¬ 
porate it with fermenting manure (add lime 
if necessary) and compost with muck— 
enough to absorb the ammonia released by 
fermentation. 
Wlicn to Kill Bushes. 
B. F. Tulley writes the Rural New- 
Yorker that tlie best time to kill trees and 
bushes is to “ cut them in tlie dark of the 
moon in July or August, when the sign is in 
the heart. There will be no trouble in kill¬ 
ing any kind of a tree or shrub. This year 
the days to he chosen should be the 18th and 
19th days of July. 1 speak from experience; 
have killed the Black Locust with a single 
stroke of the ax.” 
Applying: I’lawlcr to Corn. 
A Kentucky correspondent asks the Ru¬ 
ral New-Yorker: —"Do you recommend 
plaster for corn ? If so, what is the most 
economical way to apply it?” We do rec¬ 
ommend it for corn, especially on light, dry, 
sandy or loamy soils, vv e have used tons of 
it, applying it direct to the hill soon after the 
plants appear above ground, or immediately 
after the first hoeing. Take a pail full of it, 
walk between the rows, applying an ordi¬ 
nary handful to about four hills. A man can 
apply it to two rows at a time, (walking be¬ 
tween them,) about as fast as he can walk. 
Plaster for Meadows. 
A CORRESPONDENT of the RURAL New- 
Yorker writes:—“ Do you think plaster at 
the rate of say 200 pounds per acre, sown 
broadcast on my meadows, would prove ben¬ 
eficial ? ” Certainly, especially if they are 
upland meadows—dry *and or light loam 
soils. It should have been applied early in 
spring in order to realize the fullest benefits. 
A good time to apply it is in the fall, just 
before the fall rains. But we should not 
hesitate to apply it now on meadows that 
needed stimulating in order to produce a 
maximum crop. 
Tile Draius aa Land that Overflows. 
John T. Nichols of North Carolina asks 
the Rural New-Yorker if tile drains will 
answer a good purpose on lands that over¬ 
flow badly; if they will not fill up aud be¬ 
come useless. It depends much upon the 
texture of the soil and on the fill! secured in 
the drains at low water. As a rule, open 
ditches are better on such lands. But if the 
soil is tenacious, and a considerable fall is 
secured at, low water, well laid tile drains 
may clear themselves. If the soil is alluvial, 
we should hesitate to put in tile. But if tlie 
overflow of such lands can be prevented by 
dyking, (unless irrigation is desired,) it will, 
in most cases, be found cheaper to do it. 
Plaster on Clayey Soil. 
A Pittsburg, Pa., correspondent of the 
Rural New-Yorker asks:—“On ordinary 
clayey soil, of moderate fertility, bow much 
plaster to the acre should he applied in one 
season?” If it is upland, and in grass or 
small grain, three bushels per acre, in early 
spring, or in the fall (to grass or winter grain) 
is sufficient. It should not be used on wet 
lands. 
Millet for Foil tier or Seed. 
A correspondent of the Rural New- 
Yorker asks when to sow millet for fodder 
or for seed, and how much per acre. It may 
be sown at any time from May 1 to July i. 
If for hay, sow a bushel and a peek, broad¬ 
cast ; if for seed, one peck, in drills, or a half 
bushel, broadcast. Such has been our prac¬ 
tice. If our readers, by experience, have 
learned differently, let them report. 
ntiustrtal (fopus. 
HOW FARMERS ARE SWINDLED. 
We publish herewith a statement which 
we find in the nenry Co. (Iowa) Press. We 
do it in order Unit, farmers who are inclined 
to be credulous concerning the statements of 
patent right venders,tin peddlers,seed-order 
takers and all of that ilk, may take warning. 
This is only one instance among scores that 
have come to our knowledge, where a delib¬ 
erate swindle has been practiced. But. the 
farmer does not always find it. out until it is 
too late to provide a remedy. Here is the 
article: 
Last, week two men with a team called at 
the residence of Aaron 8. Thomas in New 
London Township, in this county, and ex¬ 
hibited a new sieve frame, and wire cloth for 
fanning mills. They nave their names :isC. 
W. Stevens and J P. Preston. Stevens claim¬ 
ing to be the patentee and manufacturer of 
the new improvement, hut from the unpopu¬ 
larity of patent right venders, did not pro- 
post! to sell rights, lull Ihe article itself. He 
desired Mr. Thomas to act ns his agent to 
sell his sieves, and offering to pay him thirl v- 
threc and a third percent, commission on nil 
sales. He had with him one hundred and 
filly frames mil sieves in his wagon, which 
lie proposed to leave with Mr. Thomas, and 
he could order from his manufactory Irotn 
time to time as Ihe sales warranted. Mr. 
Thomas agreeing to the terms, Stevens pro¬ 
duced a contract setting forth the agreement 
in duplicate, which they both signed Blcvehs 
signing first and Mr. Thomas last, well down 
to (he bottom of the paper, under tlm direc¬ 
tion of Stevens. Another paper was also 
signed by both parlies and w itnessed by Pres¬ 
ton, in substance that Stevens was to take 
hack all unsold frames and sieves at the end 
of one year then remaining on hand unsold 
by Mr. Thomas, the Ini ter to pay for all sold, 
less his commission. So the arrangement 
was completed. 
After the gentlemen were gone, Mr. Thom¬ 
as examined his papers and found no con¬ 
tract among them but another instead, fold¬ 
ed and indorsed, giving the amount of these 
notes which purported lie had signed. This 
induced him to reflect t hat lie had signed the 
duplicate contract very low down on the 
sheet, and that he placed his signature on 
different pieces of paper from that signed by 
the other party, which proved to be the 
case. Having thus had his suspicions arous¬ 
ed lie immediately came to this city, where 
he learned Stevens and his partner had left 
for Fairfield. He thereupon procured a w ar¬ 
rant for the arrest of Stevens, and in com¬ 
pany with officer Be vans, took the train lor 
Fairfield, and there found Stevens, just about 
to leave on the train on the Southwestern 
Road. On being arrested he first denied 
having Mr Thomas’ notes, hut when he 
found he could not bluff Mr. Thomas nor the 
officer but must come back to Ml. Pleasant, 
he owned up and produced three complete 
negotiable notes, a copy r of oneol which we 
give below: 
“ New London, Henry County ,) 
Iowa, March 27, '71. f 
Four months after date I promise to pay to 
C. W. Stevens or bearer, One Hundred and 
Seue?ity-five Dollars , with interest at the rate 
of 10 per cent, until paid. 
Value received. 
(Signed) Aaron S. Thomas. 
The other notes were in the same form, 
one for $150 three months after date, the 
other for $300 five months after dale. Up¬ 
on his giving up these notes and destroying 
the contracts, both copies of which he had 
in his possession, he went on his way to play 
the same game on some other more easily 
gulled victims. 
These numerous tricks and swindling 
games ought to put farmers and other citi¬ 
zens on their guard, and to do no business of 
the kind with traveling mountebanks, with¬ 
out thoroughly examining all papers pre¬ 
sented them for their signatures. We are 
determined to expose the rascals every time 
we hear of their swindling acts. 
•- 4 - 4-4 -- 
Tlio 8inck Law of Missouri. 
By a recent decision of the Supreme Court 
of Missouri, it. is held “ that the owner of 
cattle is under no obligation to keep them on 
his own premises.” 
