Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-06-29
HOEING CORN.

me OBJECT OF hoelng and working the
SOIL about corn. is first. to destroy all weeds
and secondly, to loosen the soil at the surface
that II may the more readily absorb dews
and rains which fall upon it, and proven,
the evaporation Of moisture, which tukes
place much sooner where the soil is hard
than where it is kept loose and mellow
The practice so prevalent, of deep cultiyn.
ton by the plough between rows of corn. Is
not to be Recommended. If the ground
has been properly prepared before plan,inu.
when not too wet, il will not need this add
ional loosening. After the corn has arrived
at the usual size for boeing, the soil should
only be disturbed at the surface. For as
.he plants increase in size, they send out
long hbrous thread-like roolsin all directions.
which branch every way and run all over
the ground and it is through these tbo,
they derive a large portion of their pourisb.
ment. To break or njure these would
therefore materially retard the growth of
plants by cutting off their accustomed SIM.
ply OF food. And yet surprising as il NAV
seem, a notion is very prevalent, that il IS
very scrvlceable to break the roots of corn.
But what should we think of such reasoning
as this, were it applied to animals. What
should we think if it were declared 10 be
servceabe TO cattle to deprive them of their
supply OF food Or as a writer somewhere
says what would be thought of the reason
OF man, who should declare it as his opn.
Ion and practically enforce it, that the best
way TO fatten bullock, is to wound his
tongue, break his teeth and batter his laws.
whenever he reached forward his head for
food Why then treat plants, which, as
much as animals, require their proper
nourshmen;, in the same wny2
Killing corn we would also dsa pprove,
although II is very commonly pracliced.
Not unlrequent!y in performing this opera.
ton, all the loose mellow earth is scraped
away from between the rows and heaped up
around the plants, forming sort of roof
about them, throwing off the rain, which
runs down into the hard soil thus laid bare
at the Bottom ofthe soil, which the first dry
weather bikes TO the last degree OF hard
ness so that the roots can receive no mois.
ture here, and little within these artificial
pyramids. A reason is assigned in favor OF
dillingham; it makes the corn stand irmer
and more erect and less liable 10 be broken
down by the wind. This may be the case
when the plants are small, and do not need
any such help; but when they attain n
hrighth OF several feet, and are loaded with
leaves and ears, il must be evident that q
little loose earth piled about the roots is TO.
tally insufficient for such purpose 1t is
the strong roofs which rudiate from the stock,
which are TO support it there; g. to bury these
roots deep under the surface while they are
growing and thus shut out from them both
heat and air. and render them weak and
tender, would only help to bring about the
very thing we wish TO prevent.
II is important to farmers that this subject
be well understood; for a linle knowledge
may save many weary steps, and be the
means Of an abundant crop into the bargain.
But il any farmers doubt the accuracy Of
our reasoning, we would request them TO
test it by experiment f; by ploughing and hill
ling high one part their corn, and using
The cultvaior and lying the same amount
Of labor in mellowiug the fiat surface Of the
other and then measure the resulls.- Yam
kec Farmer