The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-05-07
Hints ON Corn Planting.

One swallow don't make it summer"
and few pleasant days do not make it
corn planting time. Early planted corn
Is very apt to fail, to rot IN the ground,
to become the prey of birds, squirrels aud
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, and you'll turn
signing away,
But see it in June, and you'll sing tune"
Or another version of the same idea is
:" Your corn in May will make you pray,
! When you see itin June, then you'll sing tune"
The doctrine often stated that corn
makes roots in May, is an error, SO far as
il conveys the idea that corn will make
roots faster or better in cold rainy wealth
er than in warm; but correct il it only
iuculcates the desirabeness of planting so
that the corn shall be just breaking thro'
the ground and ready TO take advantage
of the first hot weather. Corn planted
early in May, aud struggling for life dur
ing the first three weeks of its exist
ence, will be completely outstripped by
that which is planted two weeks later
The late 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 latitude Al deg. before the middle Of
Nav ought not 10 be soaked. There is
too much danger of cold rain setting i'll
which will cause the seed to rot in the
ground. But planted during or after the
third week in May, it is commonly safe
enough 10 soak it. II 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-dissoly-
ing a quart of tar to a gallon of warm
water, and stirring the corn in the fluid.
Then dry it with plaster; small quanti-
ty of lime may well be added TO the pas-
ter, to destroy any smut. This prepara-
ton is not only fertilizer, but renders
the seeds distasteful to crows, blackbirds,
squirrels etc.
Corn planting implements are very de-
sirable, and labor saving. Billings plant
er is one of the Oldest and best. 1t plants
corn in hills or drills at distances varying
within certain limits, drops 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 good or
better, but with this we are more famil-
lar 1t is seldom worth while to plant
field corn before the 18th of May, north
of this latitude, and at the far north it is
seldom possible. We advise planting all
varieties of flint corn (that is white, and
yellow, or red or 10 rowed varieties
which are the common field corn of the
northeastern States) in drills sothat when
finally thinned out, it shall average about
one stalk to 10 inches-the drills to 81
feet or more apart, according to the kind
of corn. Manure applied in the hills or
drills is often of marked benefit, and very
small quantities are often quite as effect
i've as larger. Even soaking the seed in
water containing nitre, or nitrate of soda,
has great effect. Stall manure applied
on the surface and narrowed in, is most
available to the corn crop, whether tho
soil be deep or shallow, rich or poor, bard
or mellow. On very sandy soil, lightly
plowing it in is better than harrowing-
american Agriculturist, Nay.