The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-05-02
Essay on the Cuitiva-
ton of Corn.

gether with the dropping and covering,
may be beautifully effected at single
operation by the Sulky Corn Planter, re-
Gently introduced If this cannot be
procured, the opening should be made by
a shovel pillow, witb-a small mould board
attached on either ssae The grain should
be dropped from the hand and covered
with hoe. Three grains should be
dropped where you intend but one stalk
to remain.
1t may be asked, what distance 1 al
/ low. On ordinary highland [ plant the
grain 3x5 feet apart, which will give 2,
/ 900 plants to the acre. On better land,
plant it closer-say 23x5 feet-and on
very rich ground | would not have it
more than 2x5 feet apart, giving respec-
I lively, 3,625, and 1850 plants to the
acre.
| [ greatly prefer to retain the f9u meas
ag.s ave 'fceT BetwUeu u rows, be-
Aause it viii make the beds, when worked.
ne last time, hatter, thus causing them
more effectually to absorb and retain the
water at a time when there is the great
est demand for moisture to sustain the
stalk during the maturing of the grain.
As soon as the plant attains the pro
per size, | run deep coulter furrow, (l
desire to familiarize the reader with this
term, on each side, and follow it imme
diately with the hoe, having the weak
est stalks pulled out where three are
found A suitable time should be Sc
lected, about two or three weeks after
ward, when the gro ID is wet, to with
draw another plant, leaving but one.
About this time the land should re-
ceive thorough narrowing with coul-
ter tooth harrow; taking care not to let
the teeth run very deep. This will tear
down the beds which have been formed
by the reversing progress above recon-
mended, and leave nearly level surface
between the rows.
If, from frequent rains the grass be
likely to get ahead, keen shovel plow
may be substituted with advantage. Two
weeks more viii bring US to the fifth OF
June, at which time the corn will be III
a condition to receive its last plowlng.
This is effected by running one Dagon
furrow on each side of the ridge, taking
care to run as far from the plant as Is
consistent with making the dirt meet
around them The furrows thus formed
should be filled by dirt thrown with
shovel plow having small mould board
attached l prefer this to second Da-
gon because it leaves fiatter bed, which
| regard as of great importance.
Ia laying by corn never plow every
consecutive row, but leave every alter
ternate one to be attended to when the
first shall have been plowed. This will /
be in about six days, by which time the +
roots which may have been severed will I
have taken hOl1 on the earth, and be able /
to sustain the plants whilst the last bro /
ken shall remain disputed. The plants [
are thus protected from the .egeets otaioo /,
great depletion at any one time, and are /
preserved IN greenland flourishing State, /
when neighboring crops are parched and |
yellow. Every one knows that if two
quarts of blood be taken from a patient
at one operation, paleness aud fainting
will be the consequence, whilst, if only !
half the quantity be drawn in one day, /
aud as much more in six days thereafter
no such effect will be produced. twill |
thus be seen that the mode of cultivation
here recommended is supported by analo, |
gy, while it is founded on reason and
sound philosophy.
take occasion Just here to impress
upon the mind of the reader, the very
great importance of allowing dirt to re-
main where it is most needed, namely, |
equally diffused over the whole surface
between the rows of corn. 1t is the GUS
tom with many farmers to draw the
dirt from the middle of the rows, and
pile it in large hills around the stalk.
Nothing can be more irrational and in
furious to the crop. The large roots
coming out above the surface to the earth
afford no nourishment to the plant, but |
serve only as braces to preserve it from
falling. 1t is the small fibrous, thread
like roots only, which convey the nour
ishment to the corn, and they, as every
observing individuals knows, are found |
like net work extending entirely across
the rows If tie soil which forms their
bed be removed fraN its proper position,
they will be deprived of all power to
convey nourishment to the plant, and it
will, as a necessary result, sicken and
fade and twist, and thus the cultivator
will by his own folly, be deprived of
remnuerating return for his labor
Should drought set in during the pro-
cess of earing3nd filling, he may boast
of housing few nubbins, but will gather
no good corn.
l have known many farmers to suffer
severely for thus setting at defiance the
laws of nature, the teachings of philoso-
ply, and the plainest dictates of common
sense. From the tenth to the fifteen of
July 1 run two deep Coulter burrows in
the centre between the rows, thus form
ing fresh and deep bed for the roots,
and retaining the greatest amount of
moisture at a time most needed. Let no
one who shall Ery this mode of cultiva
ting corn be discouraged in the spring,
when he shall see his neighbors' crops
planted in the usual way, Con ridge,)
outstripping his in growth. Not having
depth of earth, it may be expected thus
to go ahead for time; but he who shall
follow the directions above given, will
have the satisfactiNw of seeing his crop
green and fourishihg during the summer.
when all around will be parched and
/ am free to admit that there
will not be this difference when rain shall
fall in sufficient quantities whenever need
ed; but in ordinary seasons the contrast
will strike every beholder, and lead to
the inquiry, what causes this great differ
ence in the appearance of contiguous
crops? / have thus far written Of the
cultivation of corn on high land only.
On sandy low lands there need be but
little variation of the mode; but in low
lands with imperyious soil, OF otherwise
liable to be saturated with water, an
opposite treatment is required. Where
as the object in the first place Is to solicit
and retain the moisture, we are here
to endeavor to provide the most etfectuai
means of getting II ont of the land.