Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-03-24
SEED CORN.
BY the Governor,
GEO. b. MANsER, Secretary.

The expediency Of planting the earlier
kinds ofcorn is attracting attention through.
out New England. 1t is the unanimous
testimony, we believe, of those who have
tried it, that the Clark corn or the Tuckct
corn will give as good crop to the acre
as the larger kinds, if planted at the right,
distance. You may plant it as close as you
can and leave space for cultivation. The
fodder is finer and better: and the corn
heavier.
In the course of years, the crop may be
materially increased by selecting seed on
right principles. Mr.. Thomas N. Baden,
ofPrince Georges County, Maryland, gives
tho following account Of his process for OBJ
tanning prolific corn. Enterprising farmers
in New England should enter upon a simi,
lar course without delay. The letter from
which we copy is addressed to Henry l..
Ellsworth, ESQ. Of the Patent Office -
SIR: received yours ofthc l4lh, max
ing inquiry respecting the "Maryland corn,"
the pleasure to say, that | have brought
this corn to its high state of perfection, by
carefully selecting the best seed in The field
for long course Of years, having especial
reference to those stalks which produced
The mos: ears. When the corn was huskrd,
I then made rc-selectlnn, taking only
tina, which appeared sound and fully ripe,
having a regard to he deepest and best col
or, as well as the size of the cob. In the
spring, before Smelling the corn, examined
it again, and selected that which was the
best in all respects. In Smelling the corn.
omitted to take the irregular kernels at both
the large and small ends. have carefully
followed this mode Of selecting seed corn
for tUeniy ,two or t,Uenty three years, and
still continue 20 do so. Whom first COM
menced, it was with common kind Of corn.
for there was none other in this part OF the
country. If any other person undertook
the same experiment, did not hear of it;
| do not believe others ever exercised the
patience to bring the experiment to the
present perfection. AT first, | was troubled
to find stalks with even too good ears on
them, perhaps one good ear and one small
one, or one good ear and "a nubbln." 1t
was several wears before | could discover
much benefit resulting from my efforts;
however, at length the quality and quantity
began to improve, and the Improvement
was then very rapid. AT present, do not
pretend to lay up any seed. without II
comes from stalks which bear four, five, or
six ears. | have seen stalks bearing eight
ears. One of my neighbors informed me,
that he had a single stalk, with ten perfect
ears on it, and that he intended to send the
same to the museum at Baltimore. In ad,
dtion to The number Of ears, and, OF course,
the great increase in quantity unshelled, It
may be mentioned, that it YIELDS much more
than common corn when shelIed. Some
gentleman, in whom have full confidence,
informed me they shelcd II barrel (tcn
bushels of ears) of my kind of corn, which
measured little more than six bushels
The common kind Of corn will measure
about five boshels only. believe | raise
double, or nearly so, to what could with
any other corn have ever seen. gener'
ally plant the corn about the first OF May,
and place the hills five feet apart each way,
and have two stalks in "a hill. ! can supply
you with ali The seed you may need, and
suppose | have now in my corn house hny,
and perhaps more, stalks, with the corn on
them, as it grew in the field, and none with
less than four, and some six or seven ears
pn them.