Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1846-04-02
CULTURE OF CORN IN DRILLS-PLANT-
ING MACHINES.

Mr.. EDITOR: am an old hard-fsted far
mer, and can also blow the bellows and
run the jonter; but have had little prac-
tlce in using the 'grey goose quill" want
TO Say few words, however, in the columns
of the Cultivator on the subject of raising
corn.
Is the common practice in this section
of the State to furrow the ground both ways,
about four feet part, and to drop the corn
by hand at the intersection of the burrows.
In this way it requires one horse and four
hands to plant the corn: one to strike the
burrows, one to drop and two to cover. In
order that the dropping may proceed as fast
as the horse walks, and not delay those
who cover, the dropper must be very busily
engaged, and he cannot take pains in drop
ping either to place the hills in the fur
rows SO as to line each way, or to regulate
the number Of grains in the hill. 1t is a
necessary consequence of the manner in
which it is done that the hills will gene
rally contain too many grains, (Which must
be pulled out after the corn gets up,) and
that the hills in one way will not be in
straight rows, which makes it very difficult
to plough and tend the corn in the direction
of the crooked rows.
You are aware how inveterately most
farmers will pursue their old habit, and now
slowly the most obvious improvements are
generally introduced amongst the farmers !;
and how difficult it is to convince them that
there is any better method than that which
they were taught in early life, and have
pursued from their youth up.
These prejudices, however, are fast fad
ing away, and better practices are beginning
to be introduced by the aid Of an increased
diffusion of science and intelligence amongst
the farmers.
Among the many improvements which
are now gradually coming into general use,
is that of raising corn in drills, instead of
the old method, in hills 1t is very evident,
that greater quantity of corn can be raised
on an acre in drills than by the common
Imethod and this may result in two ways.
When only the same number of stalks OF
corn are grown on an acre, it is evident that
by distributing the stalks along the line OF
drill, instead of crowdIng them together in
hills, they can obtain more food from the
soil, and they will be better exposed to the
influence of the sun and atmosphere, and
consequently will yield a greater crop. But
it has been repeatedly proven by actual tri-
al, that greater number OF stalks, and con-
lsequently more ears Of corn can be raised
on an acre by planting in drills than by the
common method.
An acre planted in hills four feet apart,
and the stalks in hill, will have 2,722
hills, or 1O,SS9 stalks; and if each stalk
produces only one good ear on an average,
and 100 of such ears make half bushel Of
shelled corn, the produce of an acre will
be "a l-2 bushels.
An acre planted in drills three feet apart,
and the stalks standing six inches apart in
the rows, will have 29,040 stalks; and the
produce of the acre, at the same rate as
above, will be 145 Is bushels.
An acre planted in drills of double rows,
six inches apart, and the drills three feet
nine inches from centre to centre, will have
30,950 stalks; and the produce of the acre,
at the same rates as above will be 154 rs
bushels.
The above examples show most clearly
by actual calculation, the great advantage
there is in drilling over the old system, in
the greater number of stalks, and increased
quantity of corn, independent of the other
advantages above stated, of more food and
better exposure to the sun and air.
| We will now see what has been done
by actual experience, in raising corn by the
drill system.
E. Cornell, Ttheca, Tompkins county, N
Y DIRK, raised an acre of the variety called
brown corn, the produce of which was 105
bushels Is pounds. This corn was planted
the first week in June; and portion fail
ing to come up, was replanted on the 18th
of June. The rows were three feet apart
and the hills ten inches apart in the rows.
From The Transactions Of the ~ York
State agricultural Society. Quoted in
Gen. Farmer, roL z. page IS, 1914.
Asa Williams, Of the town Of Barre, Or
leans county, New Y ork, raised premium
crop of corn in the year 1913; the follow
ing extract is from his cwn statement. The
land was "ploughed twice-once each way.
about the 9th day of May; about the 10Th
planted burrows in rows about two feet
apart, and hills about one foot apart in each
Irow-three kernels in each hill. 1t was
hoed three times, making as little hill as
possible, and no cullivator or drag was used
on it. The committee of the Agricultural
ISOcictv came to the field and measured off