The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1843-11-24
RURAL ECONOMY:
From the Albany Cultiuator.

rum tHb SttOAHy S""ASstN'
BEST METHOD OF CURING CORN.
Our Indian Corn crops one Of the most
valuable, if not the most valuable crop cal
,iyaied i. the United States, and every
thing relative to the best methods Of grow.
ing and securing il are propornonably i'm
porlant. la securing Indian corn, Two
methods are commonly used the first, is TO
top the corn by cutting the stalk immediate
Iy above the ear, and this is usually done as
soon as the grain is glazed, though some
farmers scarcely wait for this. The second,
is 10 chi up the corn by the bottom as soon
as the eur is glazed, bind the stalks and ears
in small bundles, set them up, and lei them
stand until thoroughly cured. In the frs,
method only the upper part of the stalk is
saved for fodder, but The corn ripens finely,
and nothing can be more beautiful than
field 10 which the husks have fallen from
The ripened grain, aud the thick golden
ears give a promise Of the rich harvest at
hand. Still we prefer the second method,
and that from experience Of both. We
have our corn cutup by the bottom, because
10 that way we save the whole OF the stalk
for fodder, and tina, IS no unimporiGnl mai
ter to the farmer. 10 topping, only the
poorest par; ofthe stalk issayed, for ifcut and
cured properly, there is 10 more nuiEicious
food for ANNALS than the stalk 0! corn. 1t
is true, when very large, cattle and sheep
are unable TO eat them; but If converted IN.
to chat BY cutting machine, as they can
easily be, there's no food eaten moro readl-
", or with more profit. !. is not hazard
Tug much 10 say that there is moro value
IN an acre ofcornstalks cutby The bottom and
properly fed out, than in an acre Of Ordinary
bay, and no farmer can afford 10 dispense
With such an item in providing for his stock.
But the saving iD the stalk is not Oil ex-
periments show tba. there is gain in the
gram of nearly 20 per cent in cutting by
the bottom, in preference TO topping. Ex
perinents made by Mr.. Clark, Judge Buel
aud others, and recorded in the volumes Of
the old Genessee Farmer, aud the Cuiiva
tor. place this matter beyond doubt. Ia
one made By MIR. Clark, he found the yield
per acre Of lie corn topped, 10 be AZ bush.
IS lbs. and the un,opped, GO bush. lbs.
From some experiments instituted by 'Ir.
selves years since, il was ascortalned ma!
there was no difference Of consequence 10
the product, when the corn was left on the
untouched stalks tlII harvest, and when they
wero cut by the bottom after the corn was
we'll glazed, but that both these methods
gave greater product than when toppedln
the usua manner. Its said that whencorn
topped, and after the corn is gathered, that
cattle will eat all that is valuable Of the
stalks, as they stand in the field. This is
certainly a mistake, as the most nuiricious
part, the main stalk itself, is generally left
untouched By them. If tie corn crop is
we'll manurcd, as il should be, the culliya
ton Of the season is an excellent prepare.
ton for wheat, and some Of the best farmers
of our country use the corn crop for this
purpose. Ia this case cutting By the bot.
tom is indispensable for the getting in Of the
wheat properly aud if it is intended to fol-
low the corn with spring crops, as is fire.
quenily done, such as wheat, oats or bar.
ley. il will be found that the absence Of the
large stalks that disfisure corn grounds
when only topped, will greatly facilitate
both the putting in and the harvesting of
these crops. For all these reasons, and
the additional one, that il is only by cutting
at the bottom that corn can be saved from
the effects of early frosts when they occur,
we are decidedly of the opinion that the
corn crop of the country might annually be
increased 10 value, were the method Of cut.
ting it by the bottom as soon as the grain
is fully glazed, to become general.