Middletown transcript., 1871-04-15
DEEP -. snAIlovv coas pLAxrrso.

- We arc continually being asked BY
inauiring minds for tho best mode of
planting corn. II experience 10 worth any
thing in connection with common sense in
planting corn whether deep or shallow,
and whether tho fertilizer (if any is used
should be applied Immediately in contact
with the grain, or covered with earth be-
fore the grain is dropped. On this SUBJ
fcct Of corn planting, like nearly ali agri-
cultural subjects, there ID doubtless great
contraricty Of opinions and experiences o.
mpng thosc recognized as good farmers.
My object now Is not to intrude my
Judgment. but to elicit the judgments Of
scientific and practical farmers on the
suhjcct--bow should corn bc planted---in
deep or shallow furrovs. and how covered.
that the best results may bc produced?
Some practical farmers cling with won-
derful tenncity 10 the notion that the corn
ground should bo run out in quite shallow
burrows. and corn planted as near the
surface as possible. l cannot divine Why
this practice is regarded with go much "a
vor, unless they want the roots as near
the top Of the ground as may be, TO be
parched up when drought comes. Or Il
may be they imagine nll the virtue Of the
soil. like that Of some men, to be on the
surface. aud that the rain passing down
through the earth. carry the nourishing
elements upward TO the surface instead Of
downward through the body Of the soil.
But whatever may be tho idea Of these
farmers who want to keep as near to day.
light MS possible. like small coasters hug
gihg the shores and never ven,uring far
ON the bosom of the ocean, nm unable
on any sound reason to npploye their
practice. However. when one positively
ditapproves {. course Of operation. il is
oMly fair that ~ should indicate n substi-
tutc. Well, | do not clnim to be much
OF a farmer, IL. do condemn some ideas,
but | am anxious to learn.
How, thea, should we plan. corn? The
The ground being well prepared, it
should be furrowel out, both ways, with
furrow plow, from three and half to four
feft apart, the plow being allowed to 90
down quite deep, say within two or three
inches Of the bottom Of the broken ground.
where the plowing has been from six to
nihe inches ncep. Ordinarily the furrow
should be run out two-thirds the depth Of
the blowing Having done this, the corn
mhst fe dropped in the bottom Of the fur
ROW and covered lightly. with not more
tkhn two inches Of earth on the grain
and less is better where tic soil is moist
aud warn, for the ,igh: covering insurcs
early coming up. and often mere healthy
condition in the first stage Of growth
The advantages of light covering be-
come apparent, too, when We look a, the
I'M yur.ns consequences of deep covering.
in the frequent failure Of the corn to come
up at all j; and il i, docs work its way
through the mass of clay on it, and break
ihh crust on top. which has had time to
form because f,he slowncss Of the stalk
co ming through the ground. i, generally
Leads siekly existence for some time.
TAc longer the corn plant il coming up,
the slower the growth. aud tho more yel-
loR il appears for some time To have
thf plant start up quickly aud grow Wig
orpusly at the beginning of the season is
srea, desileratnm but 10 have the crop
appropriate TO itself all the available ma
iefials in tho ground. aud the farmer not
be guilty Of the bad financial policy of al.
loving his money to remain in the soil in
the shapc Of fertilizers, producing no in
tctest. Is n greater desidera,um.
How then can we nyail ourselves most
largely of tho producing elements contain
cd in the land 7 BY planting deep enough
to afford the roots an opportunity TO rcach
aud pierce the lower or deeper portion Of
the soil, and that as early in the season as
pdssihlc. We want to draw substance from
soil to produce tho biggest crop; and il
W. put on fertilizers We want to get them
back in the crop ut the earliest day. and
not have them lie dormant in the ground
The manurial properties in ground near
the surface are generally liable to be car
ritd down doeper into the soil by the rains,
and in their descent they are taken up by
the roots and understandable in producing
the plant; hence the ronts well down draw
food not only from tho lower soil with
which they are in contact but also from
the upper portion of the soil.--L sagcr,
Ggprsse Point, Cumberland County, Ten
ntssee.