Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-09-01

held OF Corn Improvement OF a tract OF worm
out plain ianP'-Benolts Of deep plowing
and hign manurjng,
have to-day been looking at two or three
corfclds which are worthy Of notice. Nv
ncishhor, X. Bradley, Esq, has field Of Eight
or nine acres of corn, on which he is trying an
interesting experiment in the use of supcrphos-
phate Of lime The land having been for sever.
al years in grass, the sod had become too close
ly bound TO produce well; and although it was
not convenient to manure the land much this
year, yet 1t was deemed expcdient to pow il up
and cultivate 1t in corn, preparatory to giving
1t heavy dressing of manure next year. The
field was broken up in November last, eight or
nine inches deep, and in May last narrowed
then marked out in rows three and half feet
apart each way, a tablespoonful of supcrphos-
phate dropped into each hill, and the piece
planted with corn, covering the superphosphate
an inch deep with earth before dropping the .
corn. In one row. however, reaching through
the middle of the field, a compost of superphos-
phate and muck was used, putting about pint |
OF muck and tablespoonful of superphosphate !
IN each bill. Tde compost was made up several |
days prior 10 use 80 a. alla,u tho s,ranuih of
the superphosphate TO become difiused through,
ana thoroughly absorbed by the muck.
| have been several times to see this row of |
corn, before to-day, that | might, at different |
stages of its growth, observe the effects of the |
mixture used in the hills. The corn in this row
came up more evenly and vigorously than that
in any other row in the field, and has maintain
ed superiority over the rest in color and size, |
at all times so apparent to the eye, that the row
could at once be picked out. Not only is the
growth Of corn greater in this row than in the
other rows, but the stalks are also more fully
let with ears, and those larger than elsewhere
in the field.
Where superphosphate is dropped raw into
the hills, and comes in near contact with the
corn, it is apt to eat off the young tender roots,
and keep the corn back awhile, or until the
earth has in a measure absorbed its strength.
and thus more or less of the crop is retarded
at time when it ought to be coming forward
rapidly. But by composing the superphos-
phate with muck, it is so difiused and absorbed
by the muck that the compost is in state to
nourSh the tender roots at once, and send the
plant forward with a rapid and healthy growth,
giving it a remarkably deep green color. Then,
too, the muck is swcetcned and modified by the
| superphosp phate, and furnishes a little fine veg
ctable food to nourish the corn in the fore part
of the season, as well as makes a little mellow
/ place for the roots to expand in | can have
no doubt, after what | have observed this wear
and last, but what it superphosphate is to be
used in the hill for corn, il will pay well TO mix
1t with old dry pulN crizcd muck, in such pro-
]
/ urcrpho>phate with about a pint of muck to
each hill. The compost should be made a week
or two previous TO use, mixing it in a shed, or
the barn floor, and keeping it under cover till
used. and freeing the n uck from Jumps, sticks,
&c. before mixing. If muck is not convenient
/ y TO be had, rich loan, or fine rotten mould
/ from the woods may be used with good effect
-Four or five years ago, Mr.. Bradley purchasd
a trac, of thirty or forty acres of old worn-out
"plan hnd,' and has from year to wear since
been bringing it, say eight or ten acres each year,
into high cultivation. This year, he is redeem
ing the last portion Of il. about two acres. from
lis sterile state, and has it in two field, of per-
where seen this season. The surface soil of
this plain had been quite exhausted hy Il long
course Of shallow plowing and close cropping
with winter rye, as frequently repeated as the
Land would bear six or eight bushels of grain
per acre. The soil had been SO skinned to the
d2F'h of four or five inches that ten acres of it
vo..l unt support one COW decen,y through
the SUNNI m'r-;ndecd, there was nothing Of any
value growing on it, after about the middle of
Jui, each year he growth last year on the
lrI which j. now covered with such stout corn.
was occasional Sweet-ferns, mulens, shrub ppes,
with here and herea few feeble poverty -strich en-
grasses.
: This tract of land has however one important
redeeming quality. Underlying the shallow
poved and worn-out surface, there comes a
fnc-grained, sa,vy, uncluous subsoil, in texture
between a sandy and a clay loan, which, when
brought to the surface by deep plowing, exposed
: TO atmospheric influence and mingled with COM
post manure, became very active and desra-
BILE soil for tillage purposes, one which stands
dry weather well, and does not bake or become
hard and crusted over in wet season. When
first brought to the surface, it is OF pale vel
la Int bv tho md tn
cultivation, soon changes TO good deep brown.
The unctuous quality of this subsoil, as it is
taken in hand and worked by ones fingers, does
not exist in the surface-soil; that is gritty, and
, crumbles loose particles; while the subsoil is
soft and waxy Mr.. Bradley early determined
| that his best chances for speedily converting
this tract into productive tillage land, lay il
, bringing up and cultivating the subsoil and
. accordingly each portion of the plain when taker
. in hand for tlage, has been plowed deep al
once
In November last. the portions now in corr
were plowed with the sod and subsoil plow, ter
; to twelve inches deep. In May last, the plowet
/ land was manured with forty ox-cart loads o
|, compost to each acre, about, thirty-ive bushels
q to each load, made of about equal parts each o
:, muck and stable manure The compost wa;
! plowed in. four to five inches deep, with light
r sharp plow, guaged to the proper depth by
roller on the beam. The manure thu
# placed where the mellow soil closed all arount
# it, absorbing and holding its goodness, and ye
"a keeping it near enough to the atmosphere II
Il undergo a speedy and fertilizng decomposition
II and where it is readily available to the grow
!. ing crop in all stages of its progress.
70 After plowing in the manure, the field wa
- lightly narrowed, then marked off each way i
,f rows three and half feet apart, tablespoon
vt full of superphosphate was dropped in each hill
a. and the corn planted, covering the superphos
r phate well with earth before dropping the seed
40 The corn came up well, and has been twice hoed
using the cultyator each way between the rows
-, at each hoeing. The corn at this time is q
"a very large growth and splendid color, the grea
,e usty ears standing ont in every direction, pre-
~ senting striking contrast with the vegetatio
la standing on the same land one year ago-iI
i deed, one wonders at the change, as he realize
-, how great it is, and he is struck with what tn
4, art of men can do in the improvement of lant
/; when rightly directed. The present crop c
l., corn--accidents before harvest exceped-wi
y fully pay every expense that has been laid ou
ri on The land on which it stands, leaving grea
~ ly improved field, for the production of goo
,h crops for several years to come.
:" The other nortions of this tract of land hay