Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-03-04
CULTURE OF INDIAN CORN.

SGbAChA VI 2hUAAN ooNIb
Among the cereals, or grain-producing
plants of the United States, Indian Corn
takes precedence in the scale of crops, as
it is best adapted to the soil and climate,
and furnishes the largest amount of food.
BY the census returns of 1850, it appears
that the crop of Indian Corn of ls49, near
ly tripled that Of any other agricultural
product, and slightly exceeded in value the
three great staples, wheat, cotton and hay.
This fact shows its importance and value as
o feeding crop to the country Could Indian
Corn be growa in the " "fog-wrapped island
of Great Britain with the same facility
that it can be even in New-England that
region of "granite and ice" We should read
less in the English agricultural papers about
"root crops and oil cake," for fattening
their cattle and sheep, than we now do:
for corn contains fat.making, muscle-form-
ing, and bone.producing properties when
judiciously fed to CATTLE sheep swine, and
poultry, which no other grain or root crop
possesses.
Corn is indigenous to this Western hem
isphere, and it seems to have been the
plant of plants peculiarly adapted to
the wants of the rude and inprovdcnt race
OF men who occupied this country prior to
its settlement by Europeans. And it is
equally adopted to the wants of the more
refined and cvilised people that now occupy
the places of the departed red man.
For wise and bene6cent purposes, the
compliant has been endowed with fleXi-
bility, or property of accommodating itself
to wide range of latitude; but not so with
the fig, the cotton plant, aud sugar cane.
Indian Corn seems equally sat home" from
Maine to Texas, and natures its seeds as
well in the almost frozen regions of Canada
as in the nearly tropical climate of Florida.
In order that each geographical section OF
locality, may grow the kind adapted to it.,
we have an almost endless grade or sub
variety Of corn, from the little shruhhy
stalk that grows on the shores of Lake Su-
perior where each grain is nicely enveloped
in its separate husk, to the trec-like corn
plant of the sunny South, or the gigantic
stalks OF the Ohio Valley. The kernels OF
the different varieties exhibit many grades
OF size, form and color-ong, round, or
fiat, or shriveled like the sweet, and in color,
white, yellow, blue, red, and striped. These
various colored grains of corn were cutiva-
ted by the Indians before the settlement OF
the country by the Europeans, and it is
said the different colors were "kept Care.
fully apart" Possibly there may be Il tri,
fling difference in the nutritive value of the
different colored varieties, even when grown
in the same fields. The yellow hinty corn
Of the north contains more oil or fatty mat,
ter than the southern white; and doubtless:
our northern possesses greater fattenine
properties than the southern varieties. Ply,
siologically. We presume each variety is
best adapted as food for its own locality
and climate.
The average crop of Indian corn pei
acre, in the Union, per census of 1850, wa:
twenty-five bushels. The highest average
in any State, was forty bushels in Connects
cut. The average in Massachusetts, was
thirty-one bushels. Every one at all con
versant with farming matters, is aware O
the great difference in the capacity of soil.
for growing good crops Of Indian corn. Th,
yield per acre, as raised by different far
mcrs, ranges from twenty to one hundred
or more bushels per acre. "Of thirty five
crops of Indian corn, in Massachusetts,, of
tered for premium, the average yield wa:
nincty-three bushels per acre, and the aver
age profit. SILL. The largest crop wa:
one hundred and thirty-eight and one ha!
bushels. Nineteen exceeded one hundred
bushels, and two fell below seventy bushels.
Now we think no one will attribute thu
heavy crops above named, wholly to til,
superiority Of the soil upon which they
were grown. Much more, generally, il
growing a large crop of corn, depends upon
the manuring, thorough preparation of tht
ground, after culture, and season, than upor
the natural quality of the soil; and the kline
of corn planted will frequently materially
affect the result. Different kinds vary mucl
in productiveness and in the time required
for ripening. This last is matter Of much
moment in our northern cline and shoe
summers; where SO liable to wet and late
springs, and early autumual frosts, we SHOULD
plant those varieties having reference Il:
far as practicable to productiveness.) which
soonest come to maturity, or we may lose
our crop. Generally the smaller varirtic.
ripen the earliest The time of ripcnne
can be greatly FASTENED by the selection to
seed, of the first ripcned cars for few
years in succession; and doubtless mucl
may be gained by the practice Of selecting
seed from stalks bearing two, or more
rather than single ears. The famous Badcr
corn is an illustration Of this fact
Thousands of acres of corn were greatly
injured by early autumnal frosts in Mas
chusetts, and other northern States, in the
fall of 1855. While other thousands o
acres, of early planted, early kinds, wcr,
beyond injury at the time the frosts came
This seems to suggest the Importance q
carly planting We have usually noticed
that those who plant as carly as the season
will permit, are most sure of Il sound wei
ripencd crop. There is less danger from
the late frosts of spring than from the early
frosts of autumn. We had rather have
our corn killed darn twice in the spring
than once in the fall. Early planted corr
may seem to grow slowly at first, vet it is
then striking its roots into the manure, anC
preparing for a vigorous start whenever tn,
hot weather shall come.
We have seen by the census returns, that
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