Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-05-26
Indian Corn.


meal made them so. MiIlers' hogs
are apt TO be fat and inasmuch as
it is meal that makes them so, it mat
tiers not, to our present purpose,
whose the meal is.
But il is not hogs alone, that In
dian meal makes fat; it futtens
horses, cattle, sheep. and poultry, as
well: and is wthal, in some parts OF
the country, favorite article Of food
for man.
Indian corn, prepared by cooking
or grinding, or both, is most valuable
iced for nearly every animal on the
farm, at all seasons of the year. II
keeps without difficulty through the
year. 1t is not, like the potato, sub
ject to rot; and is one Of The surest
crops that can be raised. We are
aware that nearly every year, in this
climate, there are days when the
farmers are in a general trepidation,
first, of late frosts in the spring, and
then of early frosis in the autumn.--
But these fears are commonly
groundless; and when they are real
lied at all, it is almost always only to
an exceedingly limited extent. The
history of the country, from the time
Of its settlement by the whites, will
show scarcely any general failure of
the crop of Indian corn; perhaps
one, which was pretty general in New
England, but not entire, and one
other, when there was not more than
half the usual crop.
There have been other seasons
when the frost has nipped very early
planted fields, in the spring, or very
late planted, in the fall ; or those in
low and cold places but our state
ment, that, on the whole, Indian
corn is one Of the sures, crops that
can be planted, is fully borne out by
the facts.
We have observed, as a rule, thai
farmers who raise and feed out at
home large quantities of Indian corn
are prosperous men. Corn fits eve
rything TO which il is fed, for market.
Its tendency is always towards cash.
1t makes the richest of manure, and
thus prepares the land for subsequent
heavy crops. Turnips are good, car
rots are good hay is good but the
more Indian corn the better.
We entertain the opinion, that
farmers would be greatly benefited
by cultivating this crop much more
extensively than they do at present.
And while recommending its more
extensive cultivation, we at the same
time recommend its home consump-
ton. Let none of it be carried off,
except so much as goes in the form
of fat meat, or butter or cheese
Then farms and farmers will grow
rich together.
A gentleman oil uncommon intelli-
gcnce, good manager Of business,
commenced farming last spring. He
kept a careful account of the ex-
pense aud the yield of all his cult
waited crops; and was surprised TO
find his Indian corn the most pro6ta-
bic Of any.
We speak first of profit, because
we hold no farmng-no system of
farming--to be wise, which is not
profitable. But the increased pro-
duc,lon and home-ieeding of corn
would prove source OF increased
pleasure also. For how many things
are there that carry more Joy TO the
farmers heart than the manifest com
fort and happiness of his wel-fed
animals What would all the other
charms of a country life avail a man,
if he were obliged 10 endure, always
before his sight, the torment of
Pharoah's lean kline admire to
visit my farm" writes the grea,
Fisher Ames, to friend, "and see
the COWS as happy as the being well
born and well fed can make them"
We remember hearing, years ago, a
gentleman long in public lie in
Massachusetts,, give an interesting
account of the visits which he made,
when boy, TO the farm Of Fisher
Amos, where he went with loads OF
corn TO feed out TO his animals.
The time for planting corn admits
Of wide range for a difference of
several weeks does not, ordinarily,
make large difference in the pro-
duct. The location and condition
Of the land, and other circumstances,
should be regarded as calling for the
exercise, as nearly every part of
farming does, Of sound and practsed
judgment.
The HoE. ]. w. Colburne, of
Springfield, Vermont, who received
the premiums Of bis county and
Stale agricultural societies for the
best field of Indian corn, last year,
planted I" on the 10th of May, with
the corn planter, dropping plaster
and ashes with The seed, about sx
bushels TO She acre, the rows north !
and south, four feet distance, and
hills two feet. Al the first hoeing,
the stalks were designed TO be redu-
ced TO three in each hill, but in many
hills four were left. A mixture of
ashes and plaster, a single handful to
each hill, was then applied, and after
the second hoeing, plaster alone, "A
table spoonful TO each hill the third
hoeing soon followed, all done with
care and neatness, using the culliva-
tor, and elevating the earth but
slightly around the hills"