The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-04-20
Iarieultural.
The Culture of Indian Corn.
AND THE WAY TO MAKE MANURE FOR l

Our correspondent, Hon. y. w. Col
burne, of Springfield, vt, says the Al
hauy Cultivator, received the prizes of
his State and County Agricultural Socie-
ties for the best field of Indian Corn, the
last year The field contained seven and
balsacres, and the product averaged one
6uHarea aad fye bushels f56 lb> the bush
ely per acre. The cobs wcighed ID lbs
per bu>hel, Mr.. G. has sent Us the state
ment which he furnished the Societies, Of
the manner in which this crop was grown.
Ii is particularly interestinE, showing as
1t does, how he made sufficient manure to
enable him to apply it in such abundance
to this field. We know it viii be doubt
ed by some whether he acted wisely ii
E,anuGjng 50 heavily; but if all our farm
ers viii follow his example in the meas
ure, be took to increase the amount Of
his manure, they viii have little occasion
to send abroad for artificial fcrtilzers.-
Mr. Coiburne says
The soil Of this field is allUvian, and was
broken up to the depth of six inches, af-
ter a coating OF manure Of 40 loads to
each acre, spread broadcast, had been ap-
piled in the spring Of 1852. The plow
used was the Eagle c., turning fat fur
row, aud performing its work admirably
and here permit me to digTcss a moment;
from the subject, while | say, [and I
speak from my own experience that in
my Judgment there are no plows in ex-
isteHce. taking into account the ease Of
draft, The depth and thoroughness oftheir
work, that are so accurately and well a.
laPtci to an improved cultivation, as the
various kinds Of the deep til!erics OF the
Eagle Class, manufactured by Rusgles,
Nour>e & Mason.
his field was planted with corn which
soon came up, and the prospects for
good crop were hatterinc; but as often
happens ou sward land, the copper head
grub or cut worm, made Its appearance,
and destroyed most Of the FIRST, and con
siderable portion of second planting.
however, harvested about 50 bushels Of
corn to the acre, and large quantity o.
pumpkins.
Being desirous to obtain an extra croT
Of corn from this field before seeding to
grass, in the spring Of 1853, applied,
broadcast, so OK cart loads Of manure to
each acre, making 90 loads to each acre.
In the two years. The loads were larzc.
side boards upon the cart body, and Would
contain - bushels potatoe measure. The
manure vas in different stages Of Cecom-
position; part Of il was from tie hoe
yard, fine and rotten, some of it cou-
post heap, made up Of horse and chip ma
nure, lcached ashes, rich loan from the
bitches on road sides, broken bones. the
scrapings Of the poultry house. &c, often
shor,ic- over during the summer season.
kept ai-hin- upon the tops, Cd which were
daily thrown ali the cnGicLing wash from
the kitchen and chambers OF dwelling
That portion from hog yard. was made
up oi taris from road sides, rich loam from
under stable floors, Gecaying leaves from
the forests, brakes from the pasture, green
weeds and thistles, potatoe vines, the
cobs Oi 500 bushels Of corn and al other
rctu.e matter that cane 10 hanl. There
vore lS3 loads Of strong manure from
these .wo sources, and after paying foT
the labor Of fputung In material and work
iuz it over, the actual value of it when
taken out and applied to the soil, left
large balance towards defraying the ex-
penso Of raising and fattening the swine
that helped to make and work it O.
yer. l would here remark that | have
no swamp or muck bed upon my farm; ]
have no such mine Of wealth 10 r9.or: to.
20 swell the manure heaps and enrich ny
lau5-; # / bad, believe l should know
how TO appreciate and use #; bat such
means as have at command, [ cu3cavor
10 make the most Of.
The balance Of the manure applied to
this fed Of seven and half acres. was
made 10, without adding any material ez-
cept refuse straw which was used freely
,nough h to keep the yards warm aul dry.
and 10 absorb tie liquid portion Of the
cToopiags, horse aud cattle stables kept.
be6aed SO as to take up and absorb tie
urine, and the course part o. corrloddel
adds very much TO yard manure. This
portion was rather coarse, aud was applied
Ia its green state, which necessarily requir-
ed labor the Of one man when the plow
was running, to brush it iuto the furrow.
that 10 obstruction to thorough powing
should exist. 1t was plowed 10 inches
deep, inches under the decaYed sward
with short mould board pillow, breaking
aud pulverizing the soil and mixing the
manure with it, which with thorough
after narrowing, left one Of the best pre-
pared fields for Indian Corn, that could
possibly be obtained s
The planting took place on the 10th of
May, with the corn planter, dropping
plaster and ashes with the seed, about six
bushels to the acre, the rows north and
south, four feet distance aud bills two ,
feet. at the first hoeing the stalks we a
designed to be reduced to three in each 6
hill, but in many hills four were left A
mixture of ashes and plaster, single
handful to each bill, was then applied, and
after the second hoeing, plaster alone,
table spoonful to each hilI. the third hoe