Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-02

try it yearly, that ripe corn may b
had from ten to fourteen day
sooner in this way than-with the Of
method of killing.
This thing has been tested, an,
there is earlier ripe corn than wit
the old way. Formerly there wa
much soft corn, as we we'll remen
Der; now there is less of it. TIL
practice seems TO carry out the ex
pertinent. And yet there are thos
who believe in chilling corn" yol
cannot persuade them out of tn,
notion, so attached to the old habi
they are. They will not learn though
they see the fact.
The land usually broken up fol
corn is grass sod-sometimes clio
yer. Tie grass is usually the oldes
and forms the densest sod, but thu
soil is never so mellow. Corn
seems to thrive eqally well in both
We prefer an old soil that bore
for few years heavy crops of clio
yer, and afterward other grasses,
forming dense, deep sod. And
this density and deepness are helped
greatly by an annual coating oil
compost, raising the soil adding to
it, and inviting the roots up into
it, thus thickening the sod.
Such a lea, if of eight or ten
years standing, as is now and then
the case, will produce, without ma
nure, the heaviest of crops. One
lot, reported for this paper few
years ago, averaged over eighty
bushels of sound shelled corn to
the acre; there were nine acres.
This was an old turf Of some ten
years standing. There was no
manure used save a sprinkling of
hen dust, mixed with plaster or
ashes, applied to the hill after plant
ing. This was said to expedite the
crop, and keep back the vermin.
There were no vermin, and the corn
came readily.
We have seen better effects from
hog manure, applied to the hill. If
largely diluted with soil in the pen,
plant on the manure; otherwise,
kick little soil over itand then
plant.
We have planted on the raw rich
manure, wet at that, with success.
Some Of the blades came yellow.
but soon turned and grew like the
rest.
This gives corn the best start of
anything we know. By the time
the manure is exhausted, the roots
will have reached the sod, and the
growth will be continued. Where
the sod is of but few years dura-
ton, manure should be applied, es-
pecially if the top-dressingS with
manure have been resorted to, but
more especially if the soil is not
rich. In such case, good
drenching with manure in the fall
the earlier the better-will be the
best thing that can be done. 1t
will establish a growth of grass,
which is, to a great extent, clear
gain from the atmosphere.)
Such a sod, with the use of fer
at the time of planting, as
above stated, will ensure a good
crop, even if the soil is quite run
down. This, happily, is experience.
1t is only upon sod that we put
our corn latterly. Each farmer
has his spot of corn, sometimes a
whole field Is to 10 and II acres
and each is at least a fair remuner-
alton on the labor. The best cult
vators realize yearly large profits.
These usually plant the most corn.
Dairying, which is practiced large
ly here, favors planting corn.
The best corn in this section the
past season, was on land sloping to
the north. The soil was a brown
loan, with considerable sand and
some clay, pretty well run, but of
fair fertility. 1t had been several
years in sod, pasture principally,
and received no manure. 1t ripen~
ed thoroughly, little in advance
of other corn.
l lay this success to the slope of
the land. 1t was midway up hill
of several hundred feet in height,
overlooking the valley, and getting
the first sun as we'll as the last rays,
and not the excess of heat at noon.
Thus it got more light and more
uniform, and it is known that light
is absorbed, and its equivalent
found in vegetable growth. Thus,
with good space between the rows,
as was the case with this field, the
sun had good chance, and we see
the result.
Other grains on this same slope
were also advanced. This was the
case with oats, Immediately below
the corn, and with grapes and hops,
and more particularly, perhaps,
than all, with potatoes. These
were planted early-a variety OF
sorts--and grew the season
through.
Opposite this slope was field OF
corn in the full blaze of the sun,
which did not so well neither did
the oats sowed there, while the po-
tatoes planted early GOodrich) did
nothing. There was too much
heat. This IS so clearly evident
that it cannot be disputed. In a
cold or moist season it might have
been different. This will be OBJ
served hereafter.
On our deep, rich, black soil in
the valleys is our best corn ground,
though not always. Some of our
best crops are raised in clay, made
lively by sand and small gravel
and enriGhe with humus. This
sod-and it is often the densest-
gives us not only good yields Of
corn, but is followed by other good
crops, the corn preparing the way
grass ending the rotation, which
always includes clover, one of the
best elements in any soil, and fol
almost any grain.