Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-04-11
From the Boston Traoeller.
The Culture Of Indian Corn.


lie had formerly pursued the custom which !
was almost universal in his boyhood, Of
planting in hills, 3 or 3 l-2 feet apart but
either from reflection or from having read
something on the subject, he was led to be-
lieye that was an unnatural position. He
found that every kernel of corn had from
30 to 25 lateral roots, and that if 5 or @
kernels were planted together in hill,
these roots would Intervene so ss 10 OBJ
struct the growth lie tried the experiment
Of planting in drills, 3 feet apart, putting
the kernels from o TO IL inches apart, and
the result was altogether satisfactory He
was satisfied he could obtain from 10 to Is
bushels more to the acre by planting in this
way. In regard to preparation of the soil
aud after culture, he said he spread the
manure after ploughing, and narrowed il in.
He then marked out the drills with cult-
va,or, making very shoal furrow. After
the corn was up, he run small plough as
near it as possible, going twice between the
rows, and turning the burrows towards the
middle, which formed ridge. I'm hoeing,
he did not touch this ridge, nor draw the
earth towards the corn. At the second
dressing, he run the cultivator on this ridge,
which nearly levelled il. AT the third dress
ing, the cultivator was again used, and the
/ field made smooth enough for moving, and
| frequently he sowed in grass seed, and found
il the best moving he had. After this, he
left his corn undisturbed until harvesting.
He did not cut his stalks, but harvested the
whole crop together, which mode, although
attended with some Inconvenience in har-
vesting, he was satisfied was best, and he
felt justified in recommending il. By several
experiments in Plymouth county, it has been
proved that corn where the stalks were thus
left on, yielded from TO bushels more
to the acre. He planted as early as the 10th
of May; but there could be no fixed rule in
this respect. MIR a. said that almost any
farmer might obtain so to 65 bushels to the
acre, and that if not more than 80 were OBJ
tanned, the crop was hardly worth cultivat-
ing.
Mr. Gardner, OF Bristol county, said that
in his neighborhood, the mode Of culture
differed from that described by Mr. Allen.
The old mode Of planting in hills was CON-
monty practicsd; and he thought Mr. AS
mode did not give sufficient seed. The av.
erage crop in Bristol county was not more
than 80 bushels to the acre. Many were
in the habit of calling it an Improbable crop
but farmers continued to raise it. More
corn was raised in Bristol than Worcester
in proportion to territory. Worcester rails
ed FIVE times as much hay, but only half a:
much corn as Bristol.
MIR Allen remarked, that it would be
found on examination that his plan of plant
ing in drills 3 feet apart, aud the kernels
to IL inches apart, would take more sees
|; than to plant in hills 3 ID feet apart, aud
or 6 kernels in the hill.
Mr. Harding, of Waltham, said he had in
yariably had the best crops where he ha,
, planted in hills feet apart. On field o
! seven acres he had raised 81 bushels to tn,
acre. He was satisfied that corn could b.
raised in some places for less than 75 cts.
!. bushel. The poorest land if rightly man
aged, would produce the best crops of corn
. He stated an instance, in which Mr. Whip
Z Pile Of Lowell, had raised on sandy plail
e IS bushels of corn to the acre, by putting OIL
: meadow mud (40 loads to the acre) an,
: ploughing IL inches deep. No other man
ure was used, aud the mud was put on in
= green state without. any admixture. As L
cutting stalks, he aud his neighbors, MIR II
e said, had tried the mode Of leaving them Of
$ and harvesting all together, but bad becom
satisfied that the old way of cutting an
curing them while green was best. Tn
$ stoyer was better, and was worth 10 dollar
S to the acre. If farmer OH poor sandy lam
not considered worth 10 dollars an acre
could raise 62 bushels of corn and 10 dollar
worth Of slower, he got well paid. TIL
whole cost of cultivating an acre in the wa
he had described would not exceed 81 do
lars He always composted the mud whic
; he used, and il possible dug it year beior
hand. AS much depended upon dee
plougbing as upon the mud.
n Mr. Fay OF Southboro, said, in referenc
/ to Mr. WhippIe's experiment, that he ha
understood the mud used had been nike
with saltpetre and other materials for max
e ing rich compost-which altered the cas-
n materially He was in the habit Of plantin
plenty of seed, and wedding down TO four o
FIVE stalks in hill Corn was general
8 PLANTED too deep, one inch was enough I
cover il. He would recommend maxim
4 the rows wider north aud south than eas
n and west, say one foot so as to let in tn
2 sun. He was satisfied it was better 10 Gu
y stalks and feed them out when green. II
I exhibited specimen of corn which he ha
I found TO be best and most profitable, d.
! Hauwel corn 1t was early and prolific
! He raised about go bushel TO the acre.
II Mr. Harding observed that this was th
u first intimation he had had, that Mr. WhiE
pies mud was composted. Mr.. w. had tol
him he used nothing but mud
). Mr. Hoyt of Andover, said he was obige