Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-08-27
M | sc E L L A n Y.
From the New England Farmer.
CULTIVATION OF CORN AND OATS.
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Benefits of Cross Cu,vating-E Effects Of different
Ferilzers-Corn not calculated to follow Turnps
or observation-disclosures for Oats-Oats and Grass
Guano on Grass.
My FRIEND Mr.. BRowN:-I have been look
ing about in the fields here to-day, observing
the modes of cultivation, &c. and now send
you few notes about such things as most in
terested me in the course of my tramp.
In passing through five or six cornfeds.
was impressed anew with the advantages one
derives from having the rows of corn marked
out both ways of the field, so as to use the
horse and cultivator each way between the rows.
at hoeing time. Indeed, if the land gets foul
with grass and weeds, or is at all inclined to be
heavy and to pack close, or to crust over after
a rain, the horse and cultvator may be advan-
tageously used twice in a row. each way, at each
hoeing BY using the horse and cultivator thu.
thoroughly, the land is worked up fine and mel
low, the labor of hand-hoeing is very much les
sened, and the young corn grows all the more
rapidly, and is more "stocky" and healthy. for
having the soil thus completely stirred up and
its particles changed about and mixed anew, or
if the manure is near the surface, within reach
of the cultivator, having that stirred about and
brought in contact with other or different par
tices of the soil The horse and cultivator can
do very much more for the crop, in the way of
H. thc oil ~.>l ds..
ally roofing up grass and weeds between the
hills, than can be done by man with the hand
hoe. The hand-hoe is indeed quite necessary
for dressing out the hills and shaping the earth
properly about the young complaints but be-
yond that the horse and cultivator are the most
seryiceable to the crop So far as can form
an estimate, from considerable particular obser-
vation of the effects of cultivd,ing or thorough
ly stirring the ground, am inclined to think
one may realize from five to ten bushels more
of corn to the acre, by the thorough use of the
horse and cultivator between rows running each
way of the field, than he would obtain il he
worked the land only one way, all other things,
as to land, manure &C., being equal. The gain
in the crop by thoroughly working both ways,
over what could be realized by working only
one way of the field, will be somewhat in pro-
portion to the natural tendency of the land to
pack closely and crust on the surface, or to bear
weeds and grass between the hills In any
case, however, let the character of the land be
as it may, the saving of expense in cultivation
will be considerable by working the land both
ways, with the horse and good sharp cultiva-
tor, rather than by digging so much between
the hills of corn with the hand-hoe, as must
necessarily be done if the cultvator is used on
ly one way of the field.
| have repeatedly observed in my own corn
fields that where they happened to run out at
either end in long triangular point, so tina,
the narrowest part was too narrow to bother
with so short rows crosswse the field and
therefore this end was only worked with the
horse and cultivator the long way, while the
rest of the field was worked in rows both ways
the corn on the narrow end would not grow SC
fast the first of the season, nor yield so large
ears at harvest, as that on the rest of the field
Notwithstanding the fine theory that may be
stated as to tn disadvantages of level cultiva.
ton of the ground for the corn crop, must
still say that do like good broad hills,-es.
pecially, if the land is inclined to pack, or tc
crust over. A well-shaped, mellow hill, moi
raised too high and peaked, operates to send
the corn forward rapidly, and make it stocky
and stout.
Several cornfelds have been examined to-
day, which have a dressing of superphosphatt
of lime in the hills. My neighbor, X. Bradley
ESQ.,, has several acres of corn, dressed with {
heavy coat of manure, broadcast, and a table
spoonful of superphosphate in each hill. Hi,
corn is large and vigorous for the season, ant
of splendid color. On one field he used super.
phosphate in part of the hills, unleached ash
es in another part, and plaster in the remainder
That portion of the corn dressed with the su
perphosphate is decidedly superior in size and
color 10 tnOse portions dressed with ashes anC
plaster; and it appears now as if this superior
ity might hold through the season. Goes su
perphosphate was used. II seems to be very
strong manure, and needs good covering o
earth before dropping the seed corn over it,
Occasionally, in hill, where the superphos
phate did not happen to get well covered be
fore planting the seed, the corn was dilatory
about coming up and growing, at frst,-the su
perphosphate being in too close contact with i
and eating off the little tap roots as fast as they
shot out. But at length the lateral roots push
ed out beyond the superphosphate and tn,
ground also absorbed and modified its qualities
so that the downward tending roots could rur
through it, and now the corn in these hills il
growing well, and may perhaps catch up il
size with that which had more favorable start
ing.
next came to a cornfeld of my own, wei
manured broadcast, and in addition dressed
with shovel-full of manure in each hill, OF
half of the field, and tablespoonful of super
phosphate in each hill on the remainder. Th,
corn has been cut pretty hard by frost at thre,
different times but it has survived all hindran
"a, g ~. h. LII a.