The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-05-13
From the .Neao England Farmer.
INDIAN CORN.

Seed corn is commonly soaked before plant
ng for two purposes, to preserve it from birds
and insects, and to quicken its growth In
many cases the soaking of seed corr is, no doubt,
of great utility, but sometimes it is thought
best to plant it dry. There is danger in soak
ing the seed too much, especially if it be plant
ed early in the season, as it sometimes causes
the corn to rot in the ground. But if planting
a second time should become necessary, in con-
sequence of the destruction of the seed first
planted, or if planting be delayed till the begin
ming of June il will be proper that the seed
should have boiling water poured upon it, Let
it not soak more than a half a minute, and be
cooled speedily, and be planted before it dries
The corn will be forwarded in its growth by
several days. The seed should be covered with
about two inches of earth.
Jesse Buel, Esq, of Albany, observes, that
Failures, and great inconvenience and loss
often result from the seed not vegetating,
from its destruction by the wire worm and
grub, and from the depredations committed
upon the young plants by birds and squirrels
As have never suffered in either of these re-
spects, | will state my method of preparing the
seed. l collect, in the first place, quantity of
the roots of the black hellebore, or itch weed,
which abounds in swamps, grows with, and re-
semblcs in its habits, skunks cabbage, except
that the leaves arc narrower, longer, and grow
upon the seed stock these boil till obtain a
strong decoction. | then take out the roots
and add to the liquor salt petre, in the proper.
tion of four ounces TO three gallons, and put in
my seed corn while the hqour is vet warm
Thirty six hours is the longest period it should
be suffered to steep, as the nitre may destroy
the negotiating principle of the grain. AS a
further precaution, the liquor is again warmed
and a gill of tar stirred in, and the seed i'm.
mersed in it anew. Thus prepared have not
lost twenty hills in four years. The germinat-
ing process commences before the corn is plant
ed, and unless the ground is too wet TO grow the
crop, land it never pays the expense of culture
on soils that abound in springs, or that are nat
urally wet and cold,) it will continue to pro-
gress The hellebore is poisonous, and though
the ground may partially extract the poison,
neither birds nor squirrels will ever disturb a
dozen hills. The tar impregnates the seed and
protects it from the worms. The nitre and
plaster, with which latter the seed is mixed be-
fore planting, combine their fertilizing prop
critics to give vigor and strength to the young
plants"
Soaking seed corn in a solution of Glauber' s
salts has been recommended as preservative
against insects and birds, and such solution has
likewise been thought to be valuable for its
stimulating and fertilzing qualities. Copperas
dissolved in water has likewise been highly re-
commended az steep for seed corn. writer
for the N. E. Farmer states that he '' used about
one and half pounds of copperas in three
pecks of corn. | made the water warm, and
soaked the corn full AZ hours before planting,
putting in copperas as we used it out. 1t is
not easy to use too much copperas. l believe
the more the better" This preparation for
seed corn has been much used, and, so far as we
have learned, with uniform success.