The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-14
AGRICULTURAL.

OF August last, 10 report pan ol eApeH-
iments to be tried in common at the differ
ent agricultural colleges of the country,
submit the following
Experiment Ne. 1, TO test The edriation
of soils on adjacent plas.--We recon-
mend that 20 plats Of one-twelfth of an
acre each, 2 by rods, with strips of A feet
between each, be selected on a soil as uni
form as possible, which has not been ma
nured, at least for number of years. It
should be well drained, tle-trained is best.)
The aspect of the whole should be the
same, and the slope, if any, as uniform as
possible. Where not uniform the facts
should be noted. They should be plowed
and otherwise cultivated uniformly at the
same time even in the day, and under the
same conditions as nearly as possible.
These plats should be planted to corn in
drills at uniform distance between rows,
one kernel in place, at uniform distances
in the rows, so that each plat shall
contain the same number of stalks
Good cultivation should be given, but no
manure applied, and the experiment should
be repeated in 1873 and 1874. The stalks
and ears on each plat should be counted.
The corn should be cut up at proper
stage of ripeness, weighed green, each plat
separately, and cured in the same stocks
and when thoroughly dried should be
weighed again, stalks and all. TIE ears
should then be husked and weighed sepa-
rately, both when first husked and .again
when the cobs seem thoroughly dried. The
pounds each of soft and sound corn should
be noted. The dates and amount of time
occupied in going through each process of
planting, culture, harvesting, &c., should
be accurately noted and performed in the
dry part of the same day. This expert
ment is intended to ascertain the differ
ences in the natural productiveness of adj
jacent or nearly adjacent plats, with a view
of getting the exact conditions before APP
plying manures. The corn used should be
the variety most successful in the neigh
borhood, and the strips between plats
should be- kept cultivated.
Experiment No. 2, to test the uniform APP
plication of manure on alternate ptds.--5
AS an immediate experiment, under some-
what uncertain conditions, we recommend
this: The same care in securing uniform
soil, aspect, slope, &C., should be had. We
recommend, as in the other case, 20 plats,
each by rods, but separated each from
the other by strips of four feet each, in Or
der that the influence of the manure on
MANFRED plats may not be felt on unman-
ured plats. These strips should be kept
clean and the surface stirred. The same
weight of manure, of uniform quality,
should be applied to alternate plats, leav-
ing the other half unmanured. The plats
should be planted with corn, and be culti-
waited and harvested as prescribed in ex-
pertinent No. l.. r a-e r..
Experiment No. 8, to test the compare
the productireness in hills and drills
Two acres, as nearly uniform and identical
in soil, aspect, and slope as possible, should
be planted, after stalking off the ground, as
in experiment No. / one in hills, the other
in drills, the rows being the same distance
apart, and the number of stalks to the
square rod the same. The different fields
should receive the same amount of cultiva-
ton, the crops be harvested and weighed,
and the sound and soft corn compared as
in experiment No. l.
Experiment No. 4, to test the compare
tire effect Of common and continuous cult
udtion.-We recommend that another acre
be taken, 10 by l6 rods, and divided into
one-twentieth of an acre plots, and planted
with corn in drills, as in experiment No. l,
making the rows run the long way of the
acre, four rows to the rod, or forty rows,
each 10 rods long. Commencing on one
side, give the first four rows common cul-
ture the next four continuous stirring of
the surface during the whole time of culti-
walton, and SO on, alternating through each
acre, giving five strips common and five
strips continuous cultivation. In harvest
ing, we take account only of the two mid
die rows of each strip or tier of plats.-
These should be cut up, weighed, dried,
husked, &C., as in experiment No. l.-Ag-
ricult0al Dept Report.
PREMIUM CORN CROPS IN VIRGINIA.
The following particulars are from state
ments on corn by competitors for premi-
ums at the Rockbridge County Fair, Vir-
GINA: Farm of j. D. II. Ross, clay loan,
upland; an old timothy and white clover
sod, plowed in December with three
horses, narrowed four times with three
horses; hills marked 8 feet by 81 feet
apart, and MANFRED with homemade COM
post, handful to three or four hills;
plowed three times in the course of the
season I; one acre yielded 76 $40 bushels
of shelled corn, So pounds to the bushel,
and five acres gave 253 Al bushels. Farm
of A. L. Nelson, loan, with clay subsoil
in grass for four years plowed in Februa-
ry to depth of - or IA inches, and har-
rowed well just before planting, April 26
and 81; the hills received plaster and
ashes at the rate of two-thirds of a bushel
of plaster and one and one-third bushels of
ashes per acre one acre yielded by meas
ure 9ls bushels; by weight, Sc bushels,
81 pounds each five acres yielded 81
bushels by weight. Farm of G. w. Petit
grew, on a sandy loan, having north
eastern exposure, and OVERLAND by one to
three inches of soil deposited by the flood
of 1870; plowed in April to the depth of
ten inches, planted April 70; one acre
yielded sol bushels by measure, or 81
bushels AZ pounds by weight, and five
acres gave 400 bushels and 40 pounds by
weight.
NORTHERN MAINE.-Mr. j. w. Lang,
Secretary of the Brooks Farmers Club,
says that Aroostook county contains much
first-class farming land, and will receive
large immigration this spring. A colony
has been planted there, of Swedes, by
State authority and expense. State lands
are actually given away to settlers, fifty
cents per acre, paid in work upon roads to
convenience the settler; and farms, with
somel improvements, can be procured cheap.
Wheat, corn, oats, rye, potatoes, hay, and
other products are largely produced.
Stock-raiSing is n leading feature Orchard