38 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
cal, somewhat resembling a battle brush. A man or boy will clear 
an orchard of this pest before breakfast; and the operation may be 
repeated, if necessary, without expense, or much loss of timeo 
Tillage Husbandry* 
ON THE CORN CROP. 
From the Proceedings of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society. 
BY J. BUEL. 
There is no crop more beneficial to the American farmer than In¬ 
dian corn. An eminent agriculturist, the late John Taylor of Vir¬ 
ginia, called it the “meal, meadow and manure” of the farm. It is 
convertible into human food in more forms than any other grain; its 
value in fattening domestic animals is not exceeded by any product 
of the farm; and no crop returns more to the soil than this does in 
the form of manure. There are two important requisites, however, 
to its profitable cultivation. The first is, that the soil be adapted to 
its growth ; and the second, that the crop be well fed and well tend¬ 
ed ; for food and attention are as important to the plant, as to the 
animal. Ordinarily speaking, it costs less to take care of a good 
crop of corn, on proper corn land, than it does of a bad crop on land 
not adapted to its culture. The first is light and dry. The latter 
stiff; wet or grassy. I put the average expense of cultivating and 
securing an acre at $15, ( a) including a fair rent, though it ordina¬ 
rily exceeds this sum. The farmer, therefore, who obtains thirty 
bushels from the acre, estimating the grain at 50 cents per bushel, 
gets a fair compensation for his labor, and the use of his land. 
Whatever the product falls short of this is an absolute loss; and 
whatever it may exceed it is nett gain. Thus the man who gets 
but twenty bushels from the acre, loses, upon this estimate, $20 
worth of his labor, on four acres. He who raises 80 bushels an 
acre, on the other hand, realizes a nett profit of $100 from four 
acres—making a difference in the profits of the two farmers in the 
management of four acres of corn, of one hundred and twenty dollars! 
These data are sufficiently accurate to show the importance of the 
two requisites I have suggested, and the value of a little calculation 
in the business of farming. The habit of noting down the expense, 
as well as the product of a crop, and thus ascertaining the relative 
profit and loss, is highly advantageous to the practical farmer, and 
one which cannot be too strenuously inculcated. It will perhaps be 
said, that I ought to add the value of the manure which is employed 
in the large crop; but I reply, that I offset this against the increased 
forage which this crop furnishes. Besides, by applying the manure 
in the unfermented state in which it is generally found in the spring, 
it will be as beneficial to the succeeding crops, as though it had lain 
and fermented in the yard, and been applied in the usual way in the 
autumn, (b) 
The soils adapted to the culture of Indian corn, are such as are 
permeable to heat, air,(c) and the roots of the plant, and embrace 
those denominated sandy, gravelly and loamy. Corn will not suc¬ 
ceed well on grounds that are stiff, hard or wet. The roots grow 
to as great length as the stalks, and the soil must be loose to per¬ 
mit their free extension. 
The manures used are generally yard and stable dung, and plaster 
of Paris, (sulphate of lime.) The first ought to be abundant; as 
upon the fertility which it induces, depends the profit of the crop. 
Long or unfermented manure is to be preferred. It decomposes as 
the wants of the plant require it; while its mechanical operation, in 
rendering the soil light and porous, is beneficial to the crop. It 
should be equally spread over the whole surface, before it is plough¬ 
ed under. It then continues to afford fresh pasture to the roots till 
the corn has matured, and is in its place to benefit the succeeding 
crop. If put into the hills, the roots soon extend beyond its influ¬ 
ence, it does not so readily decompose, and the subsequent crop is 
prejudiced from its partial distribution in the soil. In a rotation of 
four or five years, in which this crop receives the manure, twenty- 
five or thirty ordinary loads may be applied to one acre with greater 
profit, than to two or three acres. Every addition tells in the pro¬ 
duct ; and there is scarcely any danger of manuring too high for this 
favorite crop. Gypsum is applied broadcast before the last plough¬ 
ing or harrowing, or strewed on the hills after hoeing. I pursued 
the first method, at the rate of a bushel to the acre, (d) 
The best preparation for a corn crop is a clover or other grass lay, 
or lea, well covered with a long manure, recently spread, neatly 
ploughed, and harrowed lengthwise of the furrow. A roller may 
precede the harrow with advantage. The time of performing these 
operations depends upon the texture of the soil, and the quality of 
the sod. If the first is inclining to clay, or the latter tough or of 
long continuance, the ploughing may be performed the preceding 
autumn; but where sand or gravel greatly preponderate, or the sod 
is light and tender, it is best performed in the spring, and as near to 
the planting as convenient. The harrow at least should immediately 
precede planting. All seeds do best when put'into the fresh stirred 
mould. Stiff lands are ameliorated and broken down by fall plough¬ 
ing ; but light lands are rather prejudiced by it. When corn is pre¬ 
ceded by a tilled crop, the ground should be furrowed, and the seed 
deposited in the bottoms of the furrows. Where there is a sod, the 
rows should be superficially marked, and the seed planted upon the 
surface. Where the field is flat, or the sub-soil retentive of mois¬ 
ture, the land should be laid in ridges, that the excess of water 
which falls may pass off in the furrows. 
The time of planting must vary in different districts and in diffe¬ 
rent seasons. The ground should be sufficiently warmed by vernal 
heat to cause a speedy germination. Natural vegetation affords the 
best guide. My rule has been to plant when the apple is bursting 
its blossom buds, which has generally been between the 12th and 
20th of May. 
Preparation of the seed. The enemies to be combated are the 
wire-worm, brown grub, birds and squirrels. Of these the first and 
two last prey upon the kernels, and against these tar offers a com¬ 
plete protection. I soak my seed 12 to 20 hours in hot water, in 
which is dissolved a few ounces of crude salt petre, and then add 
(say to 8 quarts of seed) half a pint of tar, previously warmed and 
diluted with a quart of warm water. The mass is well stirred, the 
corn taken out, and as much plaster added as will adhere to the 
gram. This impregnates and partially coats the seed with the tar. 
The experience of years will warrant me in confidently recommend¬ 
ing this as a protection for the seed. 
The manner of planting is in ordinary hills, from two and a half 
to six feet apart, according to the variety of corn, the strength of 
the soil, and the fancy of the cultivator. The usual distance in my 
neighborhood is three feet. Some, however, plant in drills of one, 
two and three rows, by which a greater crop is unquestionably ob¬ 
tained, though the expense of culture is somewhat increased, (e)— 
The quantity of seed should be double, and may be quadruple (/) 
what is required to stand. It is well known that a great difference 
is manifest in the appearance of the plants. Some appear feeble 
and sickly, which the best nursing will not render productive. The 
expense of seed, and the labor of pulling up all but three or four of 
the strongest plants in a hill, it is believed will be amply remunerat¬ 
ed’by the increased product. If the seed is covered, as it should 
be, with fine mould only, and not teo deep, we may at least calculate 
upon every hill or drill having its requisite number of plants. 
The after culture consists in keeping the soil loose and free from 
weeds, which is ordinarily accomplished by two dressings, and in 
thinning the plants, which latter may be done the first hoeing, or 
partially omitted till the last. The practice of ploughing among 
corn, and of making large hills, is justly getting into disrepute: for 
the plough bruises and cuts the roots of the plants, turns up the sod 
and manure to waste, and renders the crop more liable to suffer by 
drought. The first dressing should be performed as soon as the 
size of the plants will permit, and the best implement to precede the 
hoe is a corn harrow, adapted to the width of the rows, which every 
farmer can make. This will destroy most of the weeds and pulve¬ 
rize the soil. The second hoeing should be performed before or as 
soon as the tassels appear, and may be preceded by the corn har¬ 
row, a shallow furrow of the plough, or what is better than either, 
by the cultivator. (g) A slight earthing is beneficial, providing the 
earth is scraped from the surface, and the sod and manure not ex¬ 
posed. It will be found beneficial to run the harrow or cultivator a 
third, and even a fourth time, between the rows, to destroy weeds 
and loosen the surface, particularly if the season is dry. (h) 
In harvesting the crop one of three modes is adopted, viz: 1.— 
The corn is cut at the surface of the ground, when the grain has 
become glazed, or hard upon the outside, put immediately into 
stooks, and when sufficiently dried, the corn and stalks are separat¬ 
ed, and both secured. 2. The tops are taken off when the corn has 
become glazed, and the grain permitted to remain till October or 
November upon the buts. Or, 3. Both corn and stalks are left 
standing till the grain has fully ripened, and the latter become dry, 
when both are secured. There are other modes, such as leaving 
the buts or entire stalks, in the field, after the grain is gathered ; but 
