Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1859-04-14
agrirultural.
From the American Farmer.
WORK FOR THE MONTH,

Corn Planting. Corn should not be
planted until the earth is warm enough to
make it grow quickly. With very early
planting there will be, necessarily, a great
deal of re-planting, and an uneven crop
In this latitude we should not plant from
choice before the 10th of May There will
frequently, however, be circumstances which
will compel a variation from any set time.
The large corn-planter will think it advisa-
BILE for convenience of cultivation to plant a
oportion of his crop at the earliest possible
time; and the tobacco planter, if his plants
are coming on early, must get his corn
planting off his hand, that it may not inter-
fere with the preparation of his tobacco land
Light. warm soils, too, may be planted ear
lier than others.
Preparation of Ground-At whatever
time the planting is to be made, it is neces-
sary to press on rapidly with the prepara-
tion of the ground Bear this in mind,
that the more work you put upon your pre-
paration, the less you will have to do in
midsummer when everything is pressing
The mere turning the sod. imperfectly per-
haps, and then marking and crossing is no
preparation for corn planting. Put the
ground in thorough condition by dragging
and rolling. Make the surface fine, soft
bed, fit for the young roots to spread them
selves in. 1t is objected to this that it will
bring the weeds and grass upon us too rap
idly, and we promise to plant first and then
put the ground in fine order by the time the
corn springs up. This last resolve is very
well if there is an absolute necessity for it.
When the ploughing has been long delayed,
and the time of planting comes, rather than
postpone it, the seed may be committed to
the ground, and this thorough surface cul-
ture follow Immediately But such case
should be the exception, and not the rule.
You will always find when complaining IS
done that there is other work demanding
your attention, and your young corn will be
struggling for life under rugged sods before
you return to it. As to the weeds and grass
springing too quickly, there is no objection
to that. The quick growth of weeds is the
best evidence that the ground is fit for a
quick growth Of corn, and the sooner they
come the sooner you will kill them of course.
There is very important consideration in
connection with this early cultivation of the
corn land. It enable us to clay by" the
corn in proper condition at an earlier period
of it's growth. If the cultivation has been
properly carried on till harvest, no imple
ment should touch it afterwards. Begin
early work quickly, and leave your grounc
we'll cleaned at that time, and any working
after will do more harm than good. Ir
Laying by" the crop thus early, you may
put, with safety many more hills to the a
ere, and get larger crop. A very larg'
crop of corn cannot be made without large
number Of hills, and the prejudice agains
close planting has arisen from our practice
of working corn until it has cared, and tear
ing the roots into pieces at the very tim,
they are wanted to fill the ear. Close plant
ed corn will suffer the most from such treat
ment, but the fault is in the treatment ant
not in the close planting.
Distance Of the Hills Apart. Three ant
a-half feet each way gives room enough, i
the advice we give above is followed TIL,
difference between the three feet six inches
way, and the four feet is more than thou
sand hills per acre, you will bear in mind
Manure and work we'll, and we will be re-
sponsible for your losses.
Iobocco Beds.-Tobacco beds will require
careful nursing" There is no security
for suficiency Of plants without it, anc
small chance for crop without an abundan
supply of plants. Frequent top dressings
should be given with finely sifted rich com
post, or well rotted manure or guano-saJ
every ten days; and the grass as it springs
should be thoroughly exterminated. Tt
keep the young plants clear of grass is es
sential.
The Fly.-We have little reliance on tht
various devices for getting rid of the fly
The best thing to be done is to make the
plants grow fast enough to get quickly be-