Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-08-05

ing roots could run through 1t, and now the
corn in these hills is growing WE'LL and may
perhaps catch up in size with that which had
a more favorable starting.
! next came to a corn field Of my own, well
manured broad cast, and in addition dressed
with shovel-full Of manure in each hill, on
half Of the field, and a tablespoonful Of SUI
perphosphate in each hill on the remainder.
The corn has been cut pretty hard by frost at
three different times but it has survived all
hndrances, and is now growing fast. On the
half that has superphosphate in the hills, the
corn is taller and Of a deeper green color
than that which has the manure in the hills.
This goes TO show that the superphosphate
has the quality certainly Of forcing the corn
along fast through the first Of the season.
Whether it will hold out in good works as
well as the manure, can be better determined
by-and-bye
Mr.. Charles Lawrence has three acres Of
corn which is we'll manured broadcast, and
has tablespoonful Of superphosphate in
each Hill. The corn is Of good size for the
season, and its color as good as can be.
Here, too, Goes superphosphate was used,
and there arc occasionally hills where it came
too near the corn, delaying its growth at first
the same as in Mr. Bradley's field but the
roots have at length got good foothold, and
the corn in these hills is now growing well.
next looked at Mr. Rufus Pratt's corn
field which also is manured well broadcast,
and on a part Of the field the hills are each
dressed with a shovelful of rotten manure,
and on the remainder with a tablespoonful
of mixture Of Mape's superphosphato with
plaster about half-and-half Of each. Here
the corn planted on the compost manure is
the tallest as yet, but that planted on the SUI
pcrphosphate and plaster has rather the deep
est green color As a whole, Mr.. Pratt's
corn stands remarkably even, and gives prom
Use of fine crop.
next examined Mr.. Rufus Clark's corn.
He has several pieces which are dressed in
the hill with a compost of Mapess super
phosphate with old rotten muck, q handful TO
each hill, and about a tablespoonful Of SUI
perphosphate included in each handful. The
land is also manured broadcast. lie has
also one or two pieces with a shovelful Of
manure in each hill, instead Of the super
phosphate and muck As a general thing,
the corn planted on the superphosphate and
muck has a deeper green color than that on
the manure but there is little or no difference
between the two, as yet. as to size of stalks.
On one OF the fields the superphosphate and
muck mixture was omitted in two Of the rows
of corn, while the remaining rows had
handful in each hill The corn in these two
rows is quite small and pale, compared
with the rest Of the piece, and shows one, at
a single glance, the value Of the dressings in
the hill for starting the young corn forward
vigorously
Mr.. Clark's practice Of mixing superphos-
phate with dry finely pulverized muck, APP
pears to me to be an excellent one. The SUI
perphosphate, thus diffused and modified by
mixture with the muck, is ut likely to cut
off the young tender corn roots in the hill;
and the muck, which is a superior absorbent,
imbibes enough from the superphosphate to
sweeten and prepare it for use, and thus fur
nishes little finely pulverized vegetable food
to noursh the young corn, and makes little
mellow hill or place for the roots to work in.
The proportion of muck to superphOsphate
may be such as to enable one to use say a
largo handful Of the compost in each hill, and
include not more than moderate tablespoon
ful of superphosphate in each handful of the
compost. Perhaps even a smaller quantity
Of superphosphate would have marked eff
feet on the corn, especially if the mixture
made up week or two previous to plant
ing time, and the compost kept in dry place,
under cover The older, dIier, and more
finely divided the muck is the better the su-
perphosphate will mingle with it, and the
better, every way, the quality Of food the
compost will make for the young corn.
noticed to-day, field OF corn which last
year produced root crops--a part potatoes a
part carrots, and the remainder turnips. The
land is of uniform quality, and well and
equally manured, broadcast, this spring -
There is not much difference in the growth
and color of the corn on the portions Of the
field which last produced potatoes and car
rots, though perhaps the corn after carrots
looks rather the best The corn after tur-
nips however, is small and pale as compared
with that on the other portions of the piece ;
and from former experience, | should incline
to expect that this inferiority may be seen
throughout the season. So far as | know,
corn does not follow either turnips or buck
wheat very we'll. Manure the land ever so
we'll for corn, the year after it has produced
either Of these two crops, and you will not
get as large a crop Of corn though the land
had not borne the turnips or the buckwheat.
] shall not attempt to give the philosophy OF
the thing, but have found the fact as now
stated.
have been looking at Mr. Bradley's fine
field OF oats OF SIX acres. Last year tnc lahd
produced a light crop of corn This spring
it was plowed, and two hundred pounds of
guano and two bushels Of oats were sown on
each acre, and narrowed in each way of the
field. Then the land was stocked with six
teen pounds Of red clover seed to the acre,
and the surface smoothed with the roller.
have not seen so good oats for size and color,
( nor so thick and perfect a catch Of clover on
any other land this season. So far as one can
now Judge the guano will prove a very profit
able investment. On few rods at one cor
ner Of the field the guano was omitted, and
the oats and young clover here look very IN
ferior, every way, as compared with the
growth on the rest Of the field, where the
guano was applied The design in thus treat
ing this field is to get good crop of grain
this year, if possible, and to fill the soil wei
with clover roots; then to NOV off the firs
crop of clover next year, and plow under th'
second crop. the roots and stems of which
/ together with goodecoat of manure, to bC
/ applied the following spring, 1t is though
, will enrich and enlven the land and bring i
e at once into a high state Of cultivation for 4
crop of corn. l shall, perhaps, have some