374 
THE CULTIVATOR 
Dec. 
The Growing of Corn in Eastern Vermont. 
Messrs. Editors —I have just finished the Indian 
Corn harvest, which is with us here upon our interval 
farms, quite an item of farm expense, though it is the 
most remunerating of all the grain crops, and particu¬ 
larly so in a favorable season like the one just past. I 
think however, that many of our farmers are mistaken 
in their estimates of expense in growing this crop, as 
well as in the estimates of the quantity thoy grow upon 
the acre. The over-estimate in the latter, will of 
course diminish that of the former, as the bushel in 
both cases is made the basis of calculation. 
The half-bushel measure, or 56 lbs. weight, after the 
corn is sufficiently dried to shell easily, is the only true 
test of quantity, and Gunter’s chain to ascertain the 
surface upon which it grew. Neither of these is gen¬ 
erally resorted to, but estimates are relied upon, and 
are very apt to be deceptive. I have always doubted 
whether much, if any, over 100 bushels can be grown 
upon an acre under the best preparation, the most 
thorough cultivation, and the most propitious season 
for the growth and maturity of the crop. We fre¬ 
quently see notices in our agricultural journals of 140 
and 1&0, and along down to 100 bushels to the acre, in 
various localities, which I conjecture are in most cases 
merely estimates, and perhaps very loosely and imper¬ 
fectly made. I am speaking of our Northern States 
only; I do not pretend to know what may be done in 
California, or upon the western or southern prairies. 
I have frequently heard farmers say, and have seen 
the same in print, that corn can be raised at 17 to 25 
cents per bushel; but when this declaration has been 
made orally, on sounding their calculations they were 
all loose estimates, and would oftener reach 50 or 60 
cents per bushel than less, by a close figuring of all 
the itemfi of expense, even without any charge to ma¬ 
nure account so far as the manure came from the farm, 
except the labor of hauling, spreading, <fcc. 
I do not pretend, Messrs. Editors, to perfect accu¬ 
racy in the cost of production or measurement of this 
or any other farm crop, but paying for all my labor by 
the month and by the day, and by keeping an account 
of the labor done upon each crop, with $2 per week 
for board and washing for the men, adding a reasona¬ 
ble charge for use of farm tools and for team and its 
keeping, I am enabled to approximate to what I think 
is near the correct cost of production per bushel of any 
of the grains I grow, after harvesting and ascertaining 
the number of bushels. The same can be done with 
the hay crop: but the expense and the profit of this 
crop, as we all know, very much depends on the weight 
of the production and the weather for curing. 
How to Increase your Manure. 
I am a believer in making all the manure on the 
farm that is convenient, or even possible, unless the cost 
will exceed the value after it is made—using not only 
all the forage grown on the farm, but leaves from the 
woods, turf, and the deposits of the ditches on the sides 
of the highway, (swamp muck I have none,) soap-suds, 
the wash from the chambers, the droppings in the poul¬ 
try-yard, chip manure, &c., (a rich compost heap when 
thoroughly mixed)—and adding to the barn-yard ma¬ 
nure as much of the grain as can be made remunerative 
by stall-feeding, or by keeping store cattle and sheep in 
a healthy and growing condition. The grain will not 
only increase the quantity of manure, but very much 
improve its quality. When I speak of making this 
feeding of grain remunerative , I do not desire to be 
understood, realizing in cash the same per bushel as 
the market value in the beef and mutton it will make, 
or the growth it will add to other stock, (though it does 
under favorable circumstances sometimes do it,) but 
when the prospect is that two-thirds of the market 
value of corn or oats can be saved by thus feeding, the 
increased value of the manure to the soil for future 
crops will amply pay the other third. 
How to Apply your Manure. 
I am also a believer in incorporating the manure 
with the soil at the earliest convenience after it is made, 
which, with me, is in the spring if I can find the time. 
If all cannot be drawn, I leave the sheds and unex¬ 
posed parcels until autumn, and then plow it in for the 
next corn crop. Of course my manure goes into the 
soil in a long, coarse and green condition; it decom¬ 
poses in the soil, and the soil gets the benefit of all the 
fertilizing properties it can retain from this decompo¬ 
sition. The gases and ammonia that must escape in¬ 
evitably by its laying in the yards exposed to the 
washing of the summer rains and hot sun, must be re¬ 
tained by the soil or a great portion of them at least. 
This is my theory, and I think, though perhaps at the 
risk of appearing egotistic, it has been pretty tho¬ 
roughly tested by practice. I know, Messrs. Editors ( 
I am running counter to the opinion of some of your 
able correspondents on this manure application ques¬ 
tion. I make no pretentions to the philosophy of these 
things. I leave this part of the subject to the discus¬ 
sion of abler pens than mine. I have only my own 
weak judgment, common sense and experience to guide 
me, and on these I rely. 
I have no doubt of the immediate effect of fine rot¬ 
ten manure upon or near the surface of the soil. It 
will tell for the first crop more strongly than when in 
a green state ; its action is quicker, and perceptible at 
an earlier stage ; but this does not prove its ulterior 
strength, or that it is ultimately better for the soil. 
Plow in green and coarse manure considerably deep, 
say from 8 to 10 inches on stubble land, with a short 
mould-board plow—one of the Eagle deep tillers is the 
best—harrow or cultivate thoroughly until the lumps 
are broken up and the soil pulverized, and there will 
be drawn back to the surface and near the surface no 
inconsiderable portion of the manure, and this process 
makes one of the best tilths for a corn crop that can 
be obtained, especially on an alluvial soil. A field 
treated in this way, with 40 to 60 loads of manure to 
the acre, after the corn will produce another heavy 
grain crop j grass seed will be sure to catch ; heavy 
hay crops will follow for four years, and moderate ones 
for two years more. Then turn over the sod, and it 
will yield 50 bushels oats to the acre, though it has 
had no manure for seven or eight years. It is then 
ready for another feeding with green manure, and an¬ 
other heavy corn yield. One year ago I turned over 
the sod upon eight acres, which had a heavy manuring 
eight years ago, and none since ; sowed to oats after 
harrowing mellow; the yield is 65 bushels per acre. 
That last great manuring in a green state has helped 
to make this oat crop. Had this field received half the 
quantity of fine rotten manure upon the surface, and 
been harrowed in at the last manuring, it might not 
