The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-05-06

Many of your readers. as well as your
selves, have often noticed that there VIII be
spots in their cornfields, where for week
or two, aud sometimes more, the young corn
will remain stationary as far as the growth
| Is concerned. and that these plots seem To
have well defined boundaries. Observation
Convinced me that il was caused by unnstI-
ally deep planting and this idea was further
strengthened by the fact that these plots are
universally found where the ground is best
| worked, and where there is good covering
In order 10 prove or test the matter more
fully. last Spring. Instituted the expert
ment to which you have alluded. The seed
was taken from the same ear, and as nearly
as possible from the same portion OF The ear,
| and divided into seven equal portions,
which. under the different circumstances
| hereafter alluded TO. were planted so that
there should be the least possible difference
| in soil and situation, and all were treated as
nearly alike as the circumstances would
permit.
The different lots We're planted at differ
eut depths. varying from tiree-quarters to
| four and onc-half inches deep. The result
was as follows: That planted three-quarteTs
Of an inch deep came through in six and
! one half days; one inch deep In seven days !;
| one and one-half inches in nine days; two
inches in ten and one-half days three inch
| es deep in fourteen days; and less or great
or depths in the same or a like proportion !;
| that planted deepest was nearly three weeks
| in coming through, and all died IN frSm two
| to three weeks afterward, except one stalk
which went through the season without any
| show of an ear.
| BY carefully watching my experiment
| noticed the same effect in the corn when
/ was planted over one and one half inches
| deep, which was alluded o above. VIZ Iof
/ two weeks after it formed its first two leaves
| il made no apparent growth; on investi%a-
| ton into the matter, found the cause I'M
deroround The growth had proceeded a.
| usual until the miniature corn->lstlk came
| to form the first joint. In every case "here
| this Joint was formed under the ground, a
| new lot of roots were thrown out, and du-
| ring their formation, which required ABOUT
! two weeks, the plant made no growth above
| the ground, As soon as these second roots
/ were perfected, the old or original ones ue-
| caved and the growth went on as before.
| Bv experiment, | found that by watching
| the growth OF the plant and drawing mp
| fresh earth every time new Joint was being
| formed / could check its growth until ITS
| ener0ies seemed to become exhausted and
death would ensue-leavlng the DRIED up
| Leaves on TOP of a mound, a foot or more III
height a. IA monument of the effect OF a us
record of natures unalterable laws
Won ask whether it is true that the grams
from different portions OF the same ear VIII
produce corn arriving at maturity at uiHeI-
eut times? / would answer unhesitatingiy
that it does not make a difference IN the ma
turity of the corn whether the SEED is taken
from fine I1Oint butt or middle of the ear
Last season | selected what considered TO
be a Well-formed, and perfect ear, from a
pile of two hundred bushels, selected for
seed dealer in Philadelphia; commencing at
one end Of q row, and the butt Of the ear, 1t
was planted as it was shelled OIL III strip
two inches wide, up the ear; when the outer
point of the ear was selected the next row
was planted back in the same manner; in
both cases the perfect grains from the butt
and middle OF the ear produced the largest
amount of mature coin, and in some cases
the seed from the point of the ear failed to
nerpetuate itself at all. The products of
Grains from the butt and near the middle of
the ear produced the earliest ears, while the
others produced a much larger per centage
of .'nubbins," or immature eOrn.-Amerlcan
Stock journal.