Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-02

neio stOOo up DIaVeys canlc 10 maturity, ana gave
a fine yield 1t is well here to repeat the caution
that the soil should generally be deepened gra IaR
say an inch or so at each blowing, particularly
where the subsoil is unfit for growing plants; in
time it win be ameliorated by the atmosphere.
Cultivation of Corn.
In May, 1912, DR.. JoHS s. BARTLETT, late of the
British army, addressed letter to Lord AsHBUnroS,
in which he offered the following for his consider
alton:
THAT the laboring class and the poor Of Great
Britain require cheaper article of food than wheat
en- Bread and although wheat contains larger por-
ton Ofguten nutritive matter bulk is necessary
not only to satisfy the craving efhunger but to pro-
mote digestion by the stimulus of distention which
bulk alone can give. That Indian corn possesses
great superiority over rye, barley oatmeal. or po-
tatoes; that it contains gluten; its constituent
parts better proportional, and consequently makes
a better article of FOOD
The Importance and great value of corn are too
well known to every farmer in this country to need
illustration. failure of one years crop would be
attended with disastrous results. The supply of
beef, pork, and poultry in our markets, 20 great
extent depends on this crop. To the farmers it
would be most serious loss he may be Indifferent
as to the clothing, but nature must be sustained,
and the farmer finds nothing better adapted to his
wants than Indian and is variously and large
ly applied to culinary and domestic uses.
The value Of corn-stalks as feed for horses. cows
an sheep, is by too few appreciated; farmer can
afford to grow corn for the stalks alone. An acre
will produce oDe-and a-half tons of stalks, which
worth, fer feeding, eight dollars per ton, when
hay is worth twelve dollars. The value of stalks
is much increased by running them through cut
ter. In an essay read before the Farmers Club Of
the American Institute at New York, Mr.. WV. CAR
PEWTER says he fed his cows for several winters In
the following manner one bushel of cut stalks
night and morning with peck of turnips, either
common or ruta bogas, aud as much rye straw in
the day as they wiz eat This keeps them in
thriving and healthy condition. By this mode o
feeding he says he has saved his hay, which may
nearly all be sent to market
We earnestly entreat our farmers to turn their
attention to the subject of subso blowing and I'M
derdraining particularly in all heavy Soils as here
in, we feel confident rests the secret of success.
By this mode of culture the ground is penetrated
by the rays of the sun, thereby warming it, and the
rains allowed to settle, to be appropriated to the
growing crop, when drought prevails
Farmers who own the land can grow an acre of
and prepare it for the market at cost of SIS
so per acre. A good rich sod, with the above ex-
pense in labor applied will produce fifty bushels of
shslled corn to the acre, at cost of twenty-five
cents per busheL This amount may be increased,
by iudcious application of manure, to $50 bush
els to the acre.
Corn is now grown from Canada to the most
southern parts of Southern America. This beauti-
full and useful grain receives large share of atten-
ton on every part of the globe where the hand of
civilization has broken the turf. There are varie-
ties of it which be grown IN tropical climates.
where three crops can be raised in a season, while
the short summers of Canada have variety adapt
ed to them.
There is a variety common in Hungary which
ripens in three months still more remarkable
kind which is said to be cultivated on the shores of
the South Sea ripens in less than forty days. We
should endeavor to cultivate those kinds that COM
bine early rpening and great productiveness. Many
improved varieties have lately been introduced
Analysis shows that the yellow varieties of flint
corn contain more oil and gluten, and less starch,
than white varieties. The Tuscarota corn, the
whitest of ALL contains neither gluten nor oil, it
being mostly composed of starch. This variety is
of little value except for the table while green as
it contains oil it soon becomes sour when ground
into meal.
Great loss is sustained by farmers in not selecting
from the field the first years, to ripen; and from
stalks containing two or more ears these should be
carefully dried and.preserved. Corn is apt to be-
heated in the crib, when in bulk, and then it
will not terminate,
For planting, ground should be made mellow, and
great care should be taken and not plant deep-it
should not be covered more than two inches; if
deeper it does not feel the influence of the sum- and
is liable to decay. To insure termination corn
should not be planted till theground becomes warm;
general rule it ia safe to plant when sppletree
blossoms fall to the ground win not terminate
when the mercury is below forty-two over nine
ty degrees. Thorough tillage does much toward IN
surfing good crop.
The stalks Of corn should never be cut above the
ear, but always near the ground, and for this rea
son: the sap which nourishes the grain is drawn
from the earthif it Is cut shove the ear, the sup
ply is at an end; it may then become well ripened
but it will not increase in quantity; while, if cut
near the ground it appropriates the sap already in
the stalk which contributes to its weight and per-
lection.
Daniel Webster said, and with truth: "That two
successive failures of the turnip crop in England
would bankrupt the country. Her wool and manu-
featuring interests would be FRUSTRATED while the
supply of mutton dependent upon the crop could
not be replaced by other meats"
The cattle raiser can, on a few acres Of land sup
ply himself with root crops for winter feeding, and
present his animals fattened in the spring OF how
much more Importance is the corn crop to the
United States; not only beast but man, is greatly
dependent on this production for sustenance. In
commercial point of view, it is also of great i'm
portance.
Mr.. J. B. LONG, of Madison county, Tenn, COM
municates to the Souhern Homestead his mode of
cultivating corn as follows:
Law off the land in rows six feet apart with
good shovel pillow then with single or double horse
pillow double preferred,) bed up close and deep. |
Then, with a shovel pillow, with cutter before, |
and drawn by two lmules, make centre fur |
row. about eight inches wide, and as deep as the |
team conveniently make it. On this throw |
two burrows with turning plow, not running too |
close the shovel furrow 1t is desirable to make
a fiat list Then with the same shovel and two |
horse team split this ilist Deep The shovel use
1.-THE Cobb shovel) opens about six inches Deep the /
earth falls back the heel and leaves the fuarow
apparently about three inches deep, when ready |
for planting. Some shovels would act so as to |
gouge out and leave a furrow too deep for safe
planting.
Select the largest ears for seed corn; break the
ears in half, and plant seed from the large end.
Drop two grains in place, eighteen inches apart,
and cover them with harrow, with block at
tached behind, followed out (hollowed out most in
froEt) so as to avoid drifting up. 1t is important
that master, overseer or some trusty hand should
follow the troopers to regulate
their dropping by measuring stick. good stand
cannot be secured by simply directing set of drop
pers as to distance. Watch sll the time.
As soon as corn has three or four blades, and is
out of the way of birds, thin it with sharp fat
stick so as to be certain Of getting the root up;
leave one stalk in place If there are gaps, now
they may be filed by TRANSFORMING Always be
careful to fill the hole from which plants drawn,
for tire good Of the remaining plants.