Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-06-22

much support As have previously remarked
I now repeat, this crop must be worked rapidly
and thoroughly. twill not do to let the young
corn stop growing or the stalk ever become hard
1t must be pushed from the beginning, and il
ample justice has not been done in the earlier
workings, it is in vain to hope by later workings
to reclaim and make good corn crop which has
been permitted to suffer in the earlier part ol
the season. The roots of corn grow upon the
stalk, and are all the while seeking the surface
hence the necessity of adding more earth. .
At the last working, if wanted to make the
crop perfect, would pass over with the hoes
after The plows, clean out every thing, pull of
suckers, straighten up the bent stalks, and draw
some more earth around The root of the corn,
giving greater protection against the scorching
heat of the sun, and retaining moisture longer
about the root. Ny opinion is, if proper atten-
tion has been given in throwing dirt to the stalk
in former workings that not a great deal remains
to be done in that way at the laying by.
1t remains now for something to be said about
distances of rows number Of stalks hill and drill
corn &c. Taking the common lands of our
country for my basis, and it is perhaps BEST in
treatise of this sort, to select medium grade.
I would give my preference to hill corn, rather
than drilled, and to one stalk in preference to
two in the hill. would have the hills four and
half feet one why and three and a half the
other, and leave one stalk in each hill. The first
plowing should be the narrow way, the two last
the wide way of the rows. My objection to drill
corn, is founded mainly in the difficulty in get
ting the stand uniform in the distance of the
stalks from each other, and think it requires a
little more labor in its cultivation. My objec-
tions to the two stocks in the hill are, the one
stalk is better fed and sustained when standing
alone, than two would be thrown together to seek
their supplies from thesame space of earth /; that
consequently more vigor will be impaired to one
than could be to the two; that in time of drought
the two will slfer more than the one; that the
two stalked corn cannot be worked so convent
emily worked either with the plow or hoe, and
will not produce such large ears. admit there
may be frequently, perhaps generally more in
number, but the ears of one stalk will lie uni
formly larger, the yield as great, and the quality
of the corn better On river bottoms, where
the lands are richer, more stalks may be crowd
ed upon the lands more and different workings
may be required; and of course the plan should
be so varied as to suit the circumstances Of each
case.
1t will be borne in mind that my theory is
made out. to suit the medium average lands Of
the country In the close, would remark that
I have written for practical men, have presented
facts, rather than scientific theories and if there
is any merit in my thoughts, the plan is easylof
comprehension and adoption by the great body
of planters. In the selection of seed, Ihaye on
ly to add, that like that corn which has least
cob and most grain, and would select those ears
which have deep, long grains. Ihaye nc, doubt
that much improvement may be made by a ju-
dicious selection of the seed for corn planting
by selecting from the field those ears where two
may be found on the same stalk, and where the
ears are large, well matured, and well filled. The
benefit Of this plan has been very fully demon
strated. 1t will be found, however, to be true,
that almost in the same proportion as the num-
Der of ears are multiplied their size will be di-
minished. Between these two extremes will
therefore be found the best seed and the best
guide for its selection.
As to the varieties of corn cultivated in this
country, my preference is for that which seems
to have fallen in as a sort of medium, betwiXt
the old gourd seed and the flint, possessing the
peculiar qualities of neither, but sort of COM
bination of both.
Imight enlarge this treatise by speaking of the
kinds and methods of manuring, but as that
properly constitutes a separate branch and our
society have called for separate treatise on the
application of manures, / shall not trespass upon
your patience by adding more.