Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-07-03
AGRICULTURAL.



From The Sol IF The South.
Suckering Corn.
Mrssns. Eprros:-I noticed an article
mon this subject last year in my newspa-
per reading, headed, Don't pull ffthe
Suckers'-in which the writer attempted
70 prove, upon scientific principles, that
the suckers, scions, or sprouts, as you may
choose to term them, were indispensable to
tho perfect maturity Of the corn on the
main stalk-prcdica'ing his argument up
en- tho theory that the silk is the pIstillate
blossom, and the tassel the staminatc-thc
latter supplying the former, by the agency
of the wind, with n portion OF the pollen
which is necessary for the formation Of the
grain; and that the sucker, which follows
in quick succession, furnishes the balance
pG she pollen requisite to the growth of a
7,erjsci car. | have no objection to the
theory or fact stated above, except as to
The agency of the sucker. The position
here assumed is, that the staminate or tas-
sci of the main stalk is inadequate TO the
discharge Of those functions which it is evil
dent they were intended to perform; and
thereby showing defect in the laws of
nature, or want Of forecast in the arrange
ments of the Creator Ifthe existence of
the succor had been indispensable to the
perfection of the grain or car, then we
would have been entitled to a succor for
every stalk, and not casual one. as some-
times appears on MANFRED land or rich
bottoms. As we look upon this theory as
mere fancy picture, or IN other words
mere 'hnmbuggcry. will not prosecute
the argument further, us the evidence OF
things seen stamps it as untcnablc and pre-
posferons.
My object in adverting to this subject ap
proximatcs the one above so closely that
I approach it with a little more difidence
than anticipated when first set out
but fortified as l am by a host of reliable
and practical planters, shall not hesitate
to give the results of my observation and
experience. l allude TO the fact that suck,
crs when properly treated, will produce
fine, large, understandable corn. My atten-
ton was called to this subject in 1S49, by
my ovcrseer, who had followed that oc-
cupation for fourteen years. My entire
crop Of corn that year was on rich bottom
land, planted principally four by four, in
tending to leave two stalks to every hill
The stand proved to be an imperfect one
the season forplanting had far advanced,
and we were confident that replanted corn
could never ovcrtakc that then growing.
The, experience of my overseer (the best
ac.son we over learn) had satisfied him that
succors would make corn, and he vcntur-
ed to make the suggestion. The idea was
anovcl one to me, and being skeptical up
onthis, as well as many other subjects,
rejected the proposition. He then COM
menced his experiment, and so completely
made out his case, that ! was induced pure
iy out Of courtesy TO adoptit When the
corn had grown from waist TO head high,
the hands were directed, under our super
vision, TO take away such succors as made
shcir appearance above the ground or sur
face, permitting the others foreman where
only one stalk stood. In many places we
found two succors to tho stalk, (of those
ordered to be left and sometimes three,
and they SO closely rcsembled the parent
one that the incrcdulous would not be sat
isticd until they had examined the root
They continued to grow--''not head and
shoulders above another" but ofthe same
height and size, until they had perfected
their growth. In their natural formations,
they were identically the same as the pa
rcnr stalh-thc shoot and tasscl appearing
al the same places usual to the Indian or
common Corn; nor could we perceive any
difference in the size of the cars or height
of the stalks, many of which were from
ten to twelve feet high. These suckers
Nppcarcd only on the richest spots, and al
most invariably where only one stalk stood
showing that the capacity of the soil
was much greater than the demands made
upon it. The rationale of this difference
in the location of the succors, seems to be
this: Those which make their appearance
at the first JONI of the parent stalk, vege-
tate, and are visible at the surface almost
simultaneously with themo,hersialk, throw
ing out their own lateral and fbrous roots,
and consequently receiving their nourish-
,ncnt from the same sources that sustain
the other acting upon the same principle
that governs wheat, rye. barley, &c, tillcr-
ing out, as it is termed. Those who will
take the trouble 10 examine the germ of
the grain iii its incipicnt statc,will perceive
,'.at the roots are first thrown out, and
that the bud orsprout is sustained by them.
until the stalk has attained to the height of
eight or ten inches-when the roots at the
gram, and so much Of the sprout or tap
root as Will appear from three.fourths to
one inch befo,e the surface, has persisted,
and at that point the FIRST roots are formed
which aid in the perfection Of the stalk and
gram; and i,is also at this point that fruit
ful succors make their appearance This
principle, in the vegetation and growth of
corn, shows the necessity Of planting the
corn as iow do,ca in the ground as practi-
cable. Those succors which are thrown
out at the joints OF corn above the ground
do not appear until the corn has attained
some considerable height. They have no
feeders Of their own. but are dependent en-
tirely upon the mother stalk. and on &C.
count OF these responsibilities, or this in
cumbrancc, the parent stalk fails to pro-
duce so fine yield-while the succors
never produce anything, save very
small ear or cob, which Is sometimes found
on their tops, where the tassel ought to be.
These succors. it is thoughtby some,ought
to be permitted to remain, for the reason
that greater drain is made uponthe parent
stalk from bleeding lat the woundl than
would have been extracted from 1t If they
had been suffered TO stand; but am sahs-
fed that tbereverse is true.
Our course. then. In the matter would
he this: II / failed to get but one stalk