The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1862-05-16
Aerienltural Nints.
MAY.
HINTS ON CORN PLANTING.


is very apt to fail, to rot in the ground,
to become the prey of birds, squirrels and
mice, to be cut by the grubs, or to be
checked or killed by frosts. Corn needs
the hot moist weather of the last of May,
or first of June, to bring it forward rap,
idly and vigorously. The rhyme of some
old almanac has grown into an adage,
:. See your corn-field in May, you'll turn sigh
ing away.
But see it in June, and you'll sing tune"
Or another version of the same idea is,
&C Your corn in May will make You pray.
When you see it in June, then you'll sing tune"
The doctrine often stated that corn
makes roots in May, is an error, so far as
it conveys the idea that corn will make
roots faster or better in cold rainy weather
than in warm /; but correct if it only in
culcates the desirableness of planting SO
that corn shall be just breaking through
the ground and ready to take advantage
Of the first hot weather. Corn planted
early in May, and struggling for life du
ring the first three weeks of its existence,
will be completely ''outstripped by that
which is planted two weeks later. The
Lite planted will be evener larger, and
more productive and we presume, also,
just as early; although in regard to this
latter point, it is true that an inferior
| plant will often ripen what seed it bears
earlier than one which takes better hold
Of the soil, and remains green and grow
ing longer time. Corn planted north
of degrees before the middle of May,
ought not 10 be much soaked. There is
too much danger of cold rain setting in
ground. But planted during OF after the
third week i'll May, it is commonly safe
enough to soak it. If it be soaked In
Water containing blue vitriol, seeds of
smut will be destroyed A good plan is
TO use common pine tar (not coal tar),
dissolying a quart of tar to a gallon of
warm water, and stirring the corn in the
fluid. Then dry it with plaster; small
quantity of lime may we'll be added to the
plaster, to destroy any smut. This prep
aration is not only a fertilizer, but renders
! the seed distasteful to crows, blackbirds,
squirrels, etc.
Corn planting implements are very de-
sirable, and labor saving. Billings planter
is one of the Oldest and best 1t plants
corn in hills or drills, at distances vary
ing within certain limits, drops a fertilizer
in the hill if that be desired, and at the
same time plants beans between the hills
and without manure, if it be arranged
for this purpose. There are doubtless
other corn planters, perhaps equally coed
or better, but with this we are more
familiar. 1t is seldom worth while to
plant field corn before the 5th of Nav,
north of this latitude, and at the far north
1t is seldom possible. We advise planting
all varieties of flint corn (that is the
white, and yellow, or red 8 or 10 rowed
varieties, which are the common field
corn of the northern States) in drills, so
that when finally thinned out, it shall
average about one stalk to 10 inches
the drills 8 to 81 feet or more apart, ac-
cording to the kind of corn. Manure ap-
piled in the hills or drills is often OF
marked benefit, and very small quantities
are often quite as effective as larger. Even
soaking the seed in water containing nj
tre, or nitrate of soda, has great effect
Stall manure applied on the surface, and
narrowed in, is most availa de to the corn
crop, whether the soil be deep or shallow
rich or poor, hard or mellow. On very
sandy land, lightly blowing it in is better
than narrowing.
TIMOTHY MOVING LANDS.
Timothy is poor pasture grass. Thai
, rybody knows. The close browsing
herd will soon rid field of it, except ir
the hedge rows where they cennot croI
close. The reason of this is not because
, the root is somewhat dubious, for we car
not understand why that should affect i
one way or another, but the fact is thai
the dormant buds at the crown of the
root or or the base of the stem need tho
influence of some foliage to cause them te
start. The root alone is very likely to b.
0 unable to produce another vigorous shoot
and so it dies, or is greatly injured. Thu
e it is the very worst policy to let cattle o
any kind closely feed down timothy mea
!, dows at any time of the year, and particu
larly in Spring where the full vigor of th
e root should go to the unimpeded develop
J. ment Of the plant. Timothy appears t.
receive more of shock from cutting thai
almost any other of our common grasses
and almost uniformly makes poor after
y math A dressing of manure upon timo
thy mowngs Immediately after haying
>. seems to counteract this evil All othe