The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-04-21
AGRICULTURAL.
INDIAN CORN.

Ouo VI tuc tuttiSs tiat tlic iooi MIC" "'s'
that the miller's hogs were fat, though he
could not tell whose meal made them SO
Millers' hogs are apt TO be fat; and mas.
much rs il is meal that makes them so, u
matters not, to our present purpose, whose
The meal is.
Butt i, no, hogs alone that Indian meal
makes fat Il fatiens horses, cattle, sheep
aud poultry, rs well; and is wiihai in some
D .r,s OF the country, favoriie. article Of
food for man.
Indian corn, prepared by cooking OF
grinding, OF both, is most valuahle iced ior
nearly every animal OF the iarm, nj all sea-
sons Of the year. II is not, like the potato,
subiec, 10 rot; aud is Que of the suresi crops
Sha' can be- Iaised. We are aware that
scarly every year. in this climate, there are
days when the far'neis are ia a general tre-
pilaiion. firsi Of late frosis in the sprin.,
aud ihen Of early frosis in the aulu'nn.
But these Tears are commoaly gtoundless {;
and when they are realized at all, II is al.
WAYS only to an almost limited extent.
The history of the c,un,ry, fIorn the time
OF its settlement by the whites, will scarce
ly show any general failure VI the crop OF
Indian co,n; perhaps Que, which was pref
~ general ia New England, hot not eniiIe,
and one other, when there was not bali the
usual crop. 10 ~ ..r ...f 81
There have been other seasons when the
FROST has uipped very raily planted fields,
in he spring or very late planted, IN the
fall; or those in low aud cold places; bu:
oui statement that, OF the whole, Indian
co,n Is Que Of The sure,, crops that eau DO
planted, is fully borne out by the h,cts.
We have observed, rs a rule, iha, farm.
ers who ai.e and feed oui at home large
quantities vi Indian corn, are prosperous
mcu. Corn fits everyihn. 10 which Il Is
fe.l, for market. Its tendency Is always
towards casa. II makes the richest OF ma
nure, anI thus prepares the ground for sub
bsanen, heavy crops. Tutuips are good,
curoh are gooi; hay Is good but the
more Indian corn the better. s.l r..
We entertain the opinion, that farmers
wouli be g,ealy benefited by culiivaiing
this crop much more extensively than they
do at present. Aud while recommending
lis more extensive cultivalion, we nj The
same time recommend lis home coIsump-
ton. Letn Of il be- carried oH, except
so much "a zoe, ia the iorm OF FAT meat, OF
butter or cheese. Then farms and iarmers
will crow rich together. ...rI...
A gentleman Of uncommon intelligence,
a good manager of business, commenced
farming lasi spring. He kept careful ac-
count of the exp pense AMI the yield OF all
his cultivated crops and was surprised ,O
fnd his Indian corn the most prohiable ol
any. 49,. .a.
i've speak fint Of profit, because we holl
no farn,iug- no system OF farming Ito be
wise, which j. moi profitable. But the M.
creased production and home-teeding of
corn would prove source OF increase j
pleasure also. For how many thugs ale
there thai carry more JOY 10 the farmers :
heart than the manifest comfort aud happi-
ness of his well led animals What would
all the other charms VI country lille avail
a man, il he were obliged to endure,
always belo,e his sight. the iormeui OF
Pharaoh 4 lean kline admire to visit
my farm" writes the great Fisher Ames,
20 a friend, " and see the cows as happy a.
the beiuy well born aud well fed can make
them" We remember hearing, years ago,
n gentleman loug an public life IN Massa-
chuseiis, give AN Interesting account oi The
visits he made, when boy, TO the farm o.
Fisher A,ues, where he went with loads o
corn 10 feed out 10 hts animals.
The time for planting corn adnii's OF
wide ranae;s fora difference OF severa
weeks does moi, ordinarily, make lars'
difference in The product. The location
and condition Of the land, and other cir
cum.,ances, should be- regarded: calling
70, the exercise, as nearly every part o
hrmiuy does, of sound and practical judy
meni. .t.n... .,.-.l.
The Hon. J. w. Colbourne, Of Sp'ing
fell. W.. who received the premiums q
his county and state agricultural societies
for The best field OF Indian corn, last year
planted ''on the 10Th of May, with the corn
planter dropping plaster aud ashes with ih'
seed. about six bushels TO the acre, tn
rows uoih and south, four feet distance
a ,d hills Two feet At the first h0eing. ,h,
stocks were designed 10 be reduced 10 three
in each hill. but in many hills four wer,
lef. A mixture OF ashes and plaster, {
single hin,fnl TO each hill, was then ap
Piled, and alter The second hoeing plaste,
alone, a table spoonful TO each hill the
third hoeing soou followed, all done with
care and nealness, using the cultivation, ana
elevaling the earth but Slightly around the
hills rs. .....f .s -..... 90 ..
Various opinions are entertained, by dif
fereni cul,ivaiors, as 10 the proper distance
OF planting corn. Some good farmers az,
coniiien, that they get larger ears an'
more corn by planting in hills ionr lee
apar, both ways-four or five stalks IN
hiil-,han by planting nearer. Some,hin.
depends upon the Kind OF corn cultivated
bul our own experience, IL not the weigh
OF authority, Is In favor OF thick planning.
We have our own mode Of cultivation,
TOO, differing walely nom all the commou
ones bot though our We've Oh Tins subject
are we'll established by careful experiments,
u is MT our purpose TO ptesent them now.
Our present object is TO call The attention oI
our farmers TO the importance OF raising
and tee,iing more corn Than they do; be.
cause Il will iaiien and gladden. their ani.
mails, while u puts money in their purses.
The particular variety 10 be- selected, the
disiauce at which ., should be planted, aad
the mode of cultivation, are matters ON
which we do mol insist here. 4... ......
But there is one other branch of the sub
ject, TOO important 10 pass unnoiiced. II is
very common to advise farmers 10 plant on
ly what they can manure well. This has
become one Of the hum-dsum common -pla
ces. OF (" agricultural literaiure." We de
notsubscribe 10 This doctrine. On the CON
hary, we advise farmers 10 plant, aud to
plant extensively, IL they cannot manure ri
all-,hal Is. the first year. .ii-.-H ESQ IH
Frequenily an old, apparently worn-oui
pasture, which has bec,me ''iurEbound," !"
as il 10 called, and which produces bu, very
little grass viii, If planted early, and well
cultivated, yield fair crop Of com. Feed
this all oul-,he fodder as we'll as The grai,,
save. the urine by means Of ample com.
posls--and return oil The manure TO the