, 1868-07-31
NUMBER 33.
Distance Detween Corn HIII..

The distance at which corn hills or rows
may be planted, depends on the strength Of
the land, the variety Of corn, and the imple.
ments used in its culture. The common
practice is TO plant 10 hills at distances from
three to five feet, and to cultivate with the
plow in both ways. On good land, free from
stumps or other obstructions, it is thought
that culture in drills is preferable to that in
hills, and doubtless, in good clean land, in
which the horse corn planters can be used,
and the improved cultivators can bo employ.
ed, much more corn can be raised to the
hand than by the old system.
Many farmers would be astonished we're
they informed how much difference in the
number Of stalks on the acre may result from
only slight difference in the distance beN
tween the rows. Thus, corn planted
feet apart will give l742 hills to the acre.
by feet will give 2l78 hills to the acre.
8 by feet will give 2940 hills to the acre
by feet will give 2722 hills to the acre.
by feet will give $500 hills to the acre.
81 by 81 feet will give 3547 hills to the acre.
by feet will give 1910 hills to the acre.
Thus, hills three by three feet apart, are
more than twice as many on an acre, as hills
five by four.
BY multiplying the above numbers by tho
number of stalks in the hill, and allowing
the usual number of ears to the bushel of
corn, the relative yield is easily calculated, if
care be taken by abundant planting and thin.
ming to secure the regular calculated number
Of stalks to the hill.
In drills, the number Of stalks that can be
raised to an acre of rich land is enormous,
| in fha Lar &c h. II d.
"explains the manner in which large crops
of this grain have been obtained" Taking
his calculations
An acre in drills at three feet, plants at six
inches apart in drills, gives 29, ,O4O stalks, and a
yield of lib bushels and IA quarts, counting
only one ear to a stalk, and gill of sheled corn
to an ear. An acre, 2 rows in drill, inches
apart, and the plants nine inches and three feet
nine inches from centre of drills, gives 80 ,97e
stalks, and more than l2O bushels"
Judge Buel states that he has tried this
latter mode. 4" The ground was highly ma.
nured, the crop twice cleaned, and the entire
acre gathered and weighed accurately the
same day. The product in ears was lO3
bushels, each 81 pounds weight, and GA lbs.
over. The last bushel was shelled and mea.
sured, which showed a product on the acre
of ilS bushels 10 quarts" He tried, also,
the other drill meshed described, and gath.
cred at the rate of more than 100 bushels
to the acre; and stated that Messrs. Pratt,
of Madison county, New York, had raised
the prodigious crop of ITO bushels of shelled
corn to the acre, by system of drills, three
rows, six inches apart in each drill, three
feet from centre to centre of drills.
Of course, such immense crops could only
be raised on the very richest soil, and with
much and careful labor and good manage.
ment. But the question is, will it not pay
to make the soil rich, and to cultivate it
clean and we'll, and to use the improved ag-
ricultural implements to increase our corn
crop? Experience shows that course of
this kind is the true path to profitable farms
ing, when pushed by educated aud intelli.
gent farmers.