The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-05-30
Essay on the Cultivation Of Indian Corn.
Der every land"


An Agricultural Association in Kentucky,
last year. offered premium for the best essay
on the cultivation of Indian corn. The com
mittee awarded the prize to Mr.. S. T. Drane,
Of Henry county. The following is the essay
of Mr.. Drane:
In writing an essay on the cultivation and
management oI corn crop, the writer of this
will not strive SO much to maintain system in
writing as merely to contribute what he may
know from practice.
Among the many requisites to ensure good
corn crop. the period of breaking the land ac.
cording to its kind, whether it be turf, stubble,
or land which had produced corn the preced-
ing year, is Of great consequence, and should
be varied according to its tendency to wet or
dry; and will here remark that | have but
little faith in the benefits resulting from fall
or early winter powing, because, il it be done
earlier than November, the effects Of the sun
will prove injurious to the land thus exposed,
and It will be sure to want rebreaking before
it should be planted.
II the land is broken in November, Decem-
Der or January, it is still not exempt from the
necessity Of rebreakng, but it is liable, if the
winter be wet one, to excessive washing, and
the consequence is, the valuable liquids are
drenched out and the product will consequent
ly be diminished. These remarks are intend
ed to apply to stubble and sod lands.
From my observation and experience,
would say that February is preferable in Ken
lucky to any other time for breaking turf or
sod land, and no farmer should, il he can
avoid it, let day pass, when this period ar
riyes, without having some plowing done. when
the ground is sufficiently cleared OF frost to
do so. Stubble lands may be broken in this
month also. but should give precedence to the
turf land. Experience has proved to me, and
think will convince any one who will try it,
that turf or stubble which is turned under in
February will rot as soon as that which is
plOwed earlier, while il is not liable to the in.
juries mentioned above.
Land from which crop of corn was taken
the year previous, should not be broken before
March, but hold that it is bad economy cx-
cept upon land Of great fertility, to tax It with
two consecutive crops Of corn. 1t is not only
too exhausting TO the land. but is always az
tended with more difficulty in the cultivation
from grass and weeds-an impurtant feature
IN the production Of good corn. The ppw-
ing should be deep and thoroughly done, and, !,
il practicable, the subsoi plow should follow
the ordinary plow; for upon complete pre-
paration Of the land depends, in a great de-
gree. the success ct the crop. The planting
should not be done until the ground becomes
dry and warm enough to ensure the speedy
termination Of the seeds. so as to make good
stand, to avoid replanting the vacancies, and
sometimes iurrowing out entirely, which, il
done without rebrcaklng, seldom produces a
good crop, and is diilicult TO cultivate. II
would be infinitely better for the farmer to at
tend to some other job until the proper season
arrives.
An important point in this matter is the
method Of planting. There are, as conceive,
but two definite methods Of planting corn, one
Of which is by crossing oa' the land with q
plow, the required width, aud planting the
crop so as to form rows each way and the
other is to drill it. Drilling is either perform
ed by hand or BY some Of the numerous kinds
Of seed drills now in use.
From three years experience in planting
with Barnhill's patent curn-plantcr, | prefer
that TO any other method Of putting in my
crop.
The advantages afforded by this me thod are
lst. After am ready TO check on Tor plant
ing can dispense with three -iuurths Of the
labOrcrs aud two thirds Of the horses. and the
planter mas from this cause alcnc be enabled
10 prepare his land thoroughly, while the sea
son is arriving when he may plant with safety
and he can thus be enabled 10 wait upon th,
weather aud for the preparation OF the land
which, il he does not, he will seldom fail I,
regret. The land shuuld in all cases be har
rowed before the planting. consider tn
proper time for putting in this cropin kentuc
ky is about the middle Of Apri and IN mos
ol the land the Goth Of April to the 5th anl
even to the 10Th Of May would not be too late
Another reason in favor Of the drill system
with this machine is, that il deposits the grail
at intervals Of about twelve or fourteen inche
apart, in rows say four feet TO four feet tire
inches apart. The plants should be thinne
out so as to leave but one stalk to each deposit
The corn is thus regularly dispersed over ii
ground, whereas, ii in hills, the amount Z
stalks on the land would be about the same
but the more uniform distribution Of the drift
cd corn over the surface o. the land. ! am cor
iident. will produce the largest yield, and
properly cultivated will withstand the eilec,
Of drought better than corn planted in hill
while the drilled corn can be cultivated easi,
and in much better rotation. For instanc,
If the entire crop Is 10 one field, your work
ings will always be in regular successionirO
one side TO the other. The period bctwcC
worl inps IN ali marta nf the fold WiIl he reot