American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-08-17
Chr GarmeF's department.
How to Raise One Hundred Bushels
of Shelled Corn to-the Acre.

following directions arefaithfully car
ried out, and the work is done in the
proper season, there isno reason why
Se may not raise, on the Average,
,ne hundred bushels Of shelled corn
per acre
First, procure the best seed and
keep it SO by constantly selecting the
finest ears from the best stalks. If
small variety, it must be planted thick
cr than for large one-that is the
number of stalks on an acre must cor
respond with the character of the va
riety. We have known many instan-
ces where a small early sort has been
rejected as worthless, because it was
planted too thin-and on the other
hand, some large sorts have succeed
ed imperfectly by being planted too
densely.
Second, the soil. ltis promised
that this is sufficiently drained to be-
come warmed early in the season and
to admit of free and friable working.
We will suppose that tits pasture.
Spread broadcast during the autumn
all the coarse and other manure that
can be obtained, enough to give it
some thirty or forty loads per acre
but, if sufficient cannot be had, com
plete the amount by drawing out and
spreading during winter fresh manure
from the stable as fast as it accumu-
lates. The rains and melting SHOWS
which occur by the approach of warm
weather the following spring will dis
solve the best parts Of the manure
and carry them down along the grass
roots, depositing them in the soil in
more complete degree of intermix-
ture with its particles than could ov-
er be accomplished by the use of the
finest harrow.
Third. In the spring, short time
before planting, invert the sod to a
moderate depth, and pulyerize its up
per surface by means of a "Shares
harrow" which prevents the sod
from being torn up, at the same time
that the mellcwing process is twice
as deep as with the common harrow.
Before using this harrow, unless the
soil has already been made very rich,
spread over the surface of the invcrt-
ed sod about ten loads per acre of
short or old manure or compost. The
harrow will work it we'll in, and it will
not only accelerate the growth of the
young plants, but tend to keep the
top soil mellow and prevent crusting.
Drop a handful of fine manure in
each hill at planting.
Fourth, plant the corn. If planted
in drills, every thing else being well
done, the crop will be one-third to
one-fourth greater than if planted
in hills forming each way, because
the stalks will be more evenly dis
tributcd, which always contributes
to the largest crop. A good drill
corn-planter will do this work rapid
ly, and so straight that the cultiva-
tor may be run very close to the rows
and if the land has been kept clean,
but little hand-hoeing will be neces-
sary. Next to drills, the practice of
planting in hills close in the row VII
be found best and lastly, planting
in hills forming rows both ways, al
though the latter will not yield so
much corn, yet the saving of labor
which it will effect on land infested
with weeds, may more than counter
balance the increase amount of crop
obtained from drills; but, in order
that the stalks may be as evenly dis
tributed as possible, the hills should
be as near together as practicable to
allow the cultivator to pass, and
leaving fewer stalks in hill. If for
example, the distance each way is on
ly three feet apart, four stalks may
be enough for small northern corn,
and two stalks for gourd seed or dent
corn. 1t is always best to plant plen-
ty of seed, and thin out regularly
when necessary. A few years prac-
tice will enable any good farmer to
judge the nearest distances that may
be allowed, to admit every ear to fill
well.
Fifth. Now comes most impor-
tant part, namely, the cultivation.
Keep the horseshoe passing be-
tween the rows every week, from the
time that the corn is fairly above the
surface until it becomes so large as
to close up the rows. Actual expe-
rience has shown that this constant
mellowing and breaking of the crust
adds several bushels per acre to the
crop.-GeneSee Fmmer.
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Top-DresSing Grass Lands.