Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-05
GRICULTUR RAJ.
From he Genescc Farmer
COrn-GrOwing.

UIessTs. EdttorS.-l have desire to
communicate to you, and through the me-
dunn of your valuable paper to others, the
method l have successfully practised in
growing corn for several years past-not
that claim to have made any important
discovery in its cultivation, but simply 10
have combined and practised the expert
encc and Recommendations Of men wiser
and more experienced than myself. The
soil that have TILED is gravel loan. !
have, usually for corn, turned over in the
month Of April, or early in May, a clover
sod, by ploughing carefully and deep-a
little deeper than ever before ploughed.-
have spread the manure upon tue ground
before ploughing. | dig up the grass a.
round the stumps and then thoroughly har-
row until the surface is well pulverized
and mixed. To mark the land for plant
ing, have used light pole about thirteen
feet long, twelve feet of which is divided
into three equal spaces, four feet apart,
(thc distance / have between the rows
and to it l attach, by means fropes, four
pieces Of chains, which ! have found to
make the best marks to follow in planting
Two men or boys, by each taking an end
of the pole, can mark both ways ready for
planting, several acres in day. The ben
GIFT of thus marking | have found to the
saving of time, straighter rows, and a uni
form distance between them, and also the |
entire independence of the planters of each
other, SO that boys who can plant only
part Of a row and keep up, can do so cor
rectly. grow the large dent corn which
Is adapted to this climate. -Four kernels
are usually dropped in each hilland slight
ly covered with not more than two inches
ofcarth. As soon as the corn has come
out ofthc ground SO as to be seen and fol-
low the rows, | prepare u composition by
mixing equal parts Of slaked lime ashes,
and plaster, Of which about gill is drop
ped upon every hill Of corn, and which is
quickly done by suspending pail or other
vessel across the shoulders by strap of
leather, or rope, walking nearly erect, and
with small shinglc dip out OF the vessel
and throw it upon the growing corn
Should the leaves be open and the prepa-
ration dropinto them it does not inlure the
= corn. l have found this composition thus
applied, to cause the corn to grow rapidly
and vigorously. And also what to me has
been a great benefit, crows have never pull
ed up any after its application, although
they had began to pull before. As soon
asthe rows could be easily traced, have
gone between them with horse, and cul-
uvator so constructed that all the earth
was moved and cleaned of whatever was
growing, thirty Gveinches wide. The cul-
tivator has Hat teeth, shaped like a COM
mon hat-iron, with shank from the wide
end eighteen inches long, and fastened on
the top of the frame by screws and nuts
have found that passing once with it has
been as clfectual as twice with any cult
vator had previously used. After pas
sing both ways through the corn as above
mentioned, leave it ill about the first Of
June, when l again go through the field in
the same manner, and then thoroughly
clean the hills with the hoe and hand, leav-
ing the ground level. About the first of
July | again clean the hills, after having
been through as often as necessary with
horse and cultivator. The average yield
per acre, in favorable seasons. when har-
Sesaed, has been ono hundred, or more,
bushels good, sound ears of corn. The
cultivator is gagged by wheel so that it
can be used without disturbing the sod
The benefits Of level culture | have fund
to be that corn resists the winds better, ex-
tends without interruption its innumerable
fibrous roots all through the earth, so near
the surface tina; they derive every benefit
from heat and moisture. ] have often dug
between the bills when the corn had attain
ed nearly its growth and set for cars, with
out finding any space that the roots did not
occupy. | had designed to have written
more, but my article would be too long.
ORANGE II. WAIr.