Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-04-29
CORN CULTURE.

S inches deep, then harrow, cross har-
row, and roll, until you shall have redu.
ced the soil to perfectly fine state Of
pulverization for you may rest assured,
that much of your success will depend
upon the condition of your land-if the
preparation is thorough, that will go far
to insdre a good crop. and canpot fail
to do so, If there be food in the soil, and
you give it the benefit of cleanly and
proper culture. The ploughing should
be truthfully executed, without balks,
the flrrow slices should be turned flat,
and if The land be stiff, it would be well
to roll before narrowing, after which
harrow until o fine tilth be obtained,
then roll.
LAYING OPP THE Rows.-The rows
should be laid off North and South from
8 to inches in depth. 'g1s 5taa.
DISTANCE OF Rows.--After trying
various distances, we settled down upon
A feet by 3 feet, as the most illegible
one, when the land is naturally fertile,
or has been generously manured.. I
NUMBER oP GRAINS TO THE HILL
In complaining. we have ever looked
upon liberality as commendable virtue;
and believed it true economy TO make
provisions for birds and worms, as well
as for The contingency of rotting. 1t
was. our custom to drop from 6 ,o S
grains in each hill.
"a QUANTITY or SEED PER AcRE.-This
varies according to the varieties, and
size of the grain, while small grained
corn would not require more tlran peck
per acre, the large grained kinds will
take IL peckper acre. aa-'nr
SoAKs FOR SEED ConN-There are
numerous soaks, and we will here name
a few.
1. Apint Of common tar, or the same
quantity of gas.house tar, dissolved in
8 or gallons of boiling water, makes
very effective preventive soak against
crows and other birds. The tar should
he stirred in the water untilit entirely
dissolved, a bushel of corn should then
be put into the tub or vessel containing
the soak, and stirred until the whole is
coated. 1t should be permitted to re-
main in the soak 12 or "a hours, when
the solution Of tar should be drained off,;
and sufficiency of ashes mixed with
the corn to dry and separate the grains
to aender them easy of being dropped.
1t tmay be opportune to say, that no
more corn should be taken to the field
than can be dropped during the day,
and that the tub containing it should be
kept covered. ,7s3
2. / lb. of Saltpetre, dissolved in
four gallons of hot water. makes very
good soak for bushel of corn. The
seed corn to be left In the soak the same
length of'time as in tar wator, and the
after treatment to be the same:
8. 2 lbs. of Copperas, dissolved in
10 gallons of hot water, forms good
soak for bushel Of seed corn the corn
to remain the same length of time as
prescribed for No. l, and to receive tho
same after treatment. as
A. 2 Ibis. of EPSON Sails. or the same
quantity Of GlaUJer Sails, dissolved in
10 gallons of boiling water, will either
form a good soak for a bushel of seed
corn, which is to remain therein the
same length of time as in No. l, and to
receive the same treatmen. subsequent
ly. nr.
5. A gallon of sef SOAP, dissolved in
6 gallons Of boiling water, makes a
good soak for a bushel of seed corn
the corn to remain in the soak the same
length Of time as in No. l, and be treat
ed afterwards in the same manner.
Some corn-planters, instead of dild.
ting the soft soap with boiling water,
place bushel Of seed corn ina tub,
and pour gallon Of soft soap over it,
and ihon stir the corn until every grain
is covered with soap; they then add q
sufficient quantity of ashes to dry the
seedcorn aud prepareingitfor dropping.
G. 9 quarts of Soot, dissolved in 10
gallons of hot water, makes an excel
lent soak for bushel Of corn-!he corn
to rcmain therein the same length of
time as in No. /, and to be subsequently,
treated in the same manner.
7.1lb. of Sal Ammonioc, 10 be dis,
solved in 10 gallons of water, makes a
good soak for bushel of seed corn
the corn TO remain therein l2 or "a
hours, and to be dried in plaster. .a.4
MANuRIYo IN THE HILL.-Independ.
emily of The broadcast manuripg, which
we gave our corn, we found it highly
beneficial practice TO treat each hill,
ut the time Of planting, with handful
of rich compost, which we prepared for
the occasion.
Our compost generally consisted at
the rate Of one load Of wood'.mould,
1 load Of well rotted stable manure, 5
bushels Of ashes, and bnshel Of plas.
ter, thoroughly mixed together. This
quantity, generally, went over an acre.
This compost may bo put on atthe time
of planting, or at the first working Of