Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-05-16
HINTS IN REGARD TO THE CORN
CROP

harvesting, the return has been bountful,
notwithstanding bad seasons. Having been
uniformly successful N the culture OF This
crop, we feel justified in repeating some
leading directions for its managemt Mt.
SoIL.'-lt is in vain 10 attempt to raise
Indian corn, il this latitude, in seasons like
the two last, upon stiff clays, or upon thin
sodS Of looscr quality reposing upon u
clay or hardpan subsuil, or without mannr-
ing Tor the crop; for although the plants
will grow, the product will not repay the
expense of culture, unless they produce
good crop and it costs but little more 10
lake care ola good than poor crop. The
first are not adapted To the crop of any sea-
son. On thin soils, having level surface,
the rams settle and remain upon the sub
soil, where the roots penetrate for food, and
causes cool temperature in the early part
ol The season, where the plants stand most
in need OF warmth. lfsoils OF either ofthe
above kinds are employed, the land should
be thrown into ridges, Ten or twelve feet
broad, in the direction OF the slope of the
field. But sandy and gravelly lands and
ligh, loans, are decidedly the best Tor corn.
The snil must be dry.
Observation-Disclosures stable and yard
manure is decidedly preferable, if spread
broadcast, as il always should be, and thor
oughlly buried with the plough. II keeps
the soil open, permeabls 10 heat ar and
moisture, the agents Of nutrition; il imparis
warmth 10 the soil while undergoing the
process 0l fermentation, ard il affords the
best food for the crop. This we know is
downright heresy II some ; but all we ask
~ these skeplics is, that they will make the
experiment even on hall Il acre, and credit
their own sense in the result.
VARIETY.-rhe twelve rowed corn, cal
led the Duitun corn, is the earliest lur the
field culture, that we know OF, aud we
think il best. We have raised il sixteen
years, and the crop has never been injured
| by the early lrnss.
| PREPARATION OF SEED.-Our practice IS
to turn upon lie seed The evening before
| planting, water in q bnling state. This
| ihroughly satnrates the seed, Induces sn
incipient termination, and causes The corn
To sprout quick. The next morning we
lake half a pint of lar for hall busht 1T
seed, put il into an iron vess, with water
| and heat II till tile tar is dissoved. and The
| liquor becomes tar water. Ii is then turn
ed upon he seed and we'll stirred II adj
heres Ia the grain and gives it thin trans
parent coating. The tar serves double
| purpose; it prevents an excess OF moisture
entering and rotting the seed il the wealth
err or soil are cold and wei, and il preser-
YES it from the depreciation of birds &c.
| which prey up on it,. Alter The seed is la-
ken from the steep, where We never leave
il more than fifteen hours, as much ground
gypsum is mixed with it as will adhere 10
tho kernels. The gypsum prevents the kcr-
Dcls adhering 10 each other, & iavOrs the Of
ter growth of The crop. Ashes or lime may
be substituted for gypsum. The seed. should
be planted while il is moist, and immcdi-
alely covered. Ii should not be lonr expo
| scd 10 the sun.
/ DISTANCE IN PLANTIHG.-This must de :.
/ pend upon the variety cultivated, and the
richness Of the soil.
fhe Dulinn is Of dwarf growth and upon
well manured land may he planted at three
feet each way, or three by two and a half
! Souihern corn, and some old varieties in The
north, grow taller and require more room
AS a certain quantity of food is required
To bring each stock 10 maturity, poorly ma
nured ground cannot iced SD many stocks
as that winch is highly MANFRED.
Quantity Of seed and Covering. -From
using TOO little seed, and recklessnss in
covering il, many corn fields are deficient
one hali'of what ought 10 grow upon them.
We drop six 10 eight kernels in hill, AMI
take special care "a have il covered only
with fine mould. Ii dung, sOds, sticks or
stones are placed upon the bill, il partially
or wholly prevents the coming. II buried
too deep, the seed may ro helore the s,il is
warm enough To induce termination Iftno
shallow, il may lack moisture. I hese are
little matters, though they have a great in
fence upon the profit of The crop. The
extra expense that would be incurred TO dol
these things perfect, might be four quarlsI
OF seed and nne days labor to the acre
and the advantages would often be doub-
ling of the crop. Two inches is suffcen
covering, il the hill is rodIen upon, as
should be, by the planlcr, 10 compress ill.,
earth and preserve its moisture.
after Cuifme.-ln this the plough Shout,
not be used il the corn harrow and cultiva
tor can be had, and if used should not be
suffered 10 penetrate the soil more that two
or three inches. The plough tears ih{
roots, turns up and wastes the manure, and
increase tie injuries of the drought. Tll
main object is 10 cXtirplae weeds, and
keep the surface mellow and open, that lh
heat, air and moisture may exert the bette
their kind influences upon the vegetabl
matter in The soil, in converting it into nj
irment for the crop. The oilener the Gu
iivator Is made 10 pass between The row
therefore, the better; though ordinarily bl
two dressing are given 10 The crop. Attf
first dressing with the hand hoe, The plan
are reduced to three or four in hill, Il
surface is broken among The plants, Il
weeds carefully extirpared, and little tres
mould gathered To the hill. Al the secnr
dressing, like process rs observed, laku
care the carihing shall mai exceed one ind
aud hall, that The hill he fiat, and III
the earth For this purpose be not taken fro
one place, but gathered from The suits
between the rows, where il has been loose