Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-06-11
From the Country Gentleman.
Corn Culture In the Eastern States.

Can we afford to raise corn iu the East
crn States when such quantities are grown
at the West that there the price is 50 low
tina, it Is economical to use it as fuel ?
This, and like questions, are often present
ed to the minds Of farmers nonresident Of
this section of corn plenty.
Corn is a product that all farmers re.
quire, and cannot well do without; and
with all its abundance and cheapness at
the point Of production, with the expense
Of transportation, etc, to the seaboard and
interior, away from lines Of transportation,
its cost is largely enhanced. The cost in
all interior towns in New England will
scarcely average below s per bushel. At
the depots Of lines Of transportation the
average may be ten to fifteen cents less
1t should be borne in mind that our home
grown corn for feeding and domestic pur-
poses is Of greater value. In our own ex-
perience and observation we have found 90
lbs. Of home grown corn equal in value to
100 lbs. Of western as it averages and
for culinary uses a very much greater diff.
ference. Then, again, there are other con.
sIderations aside trOm the pecunary value,
or selling price Of the grain, for the con-
venience Of having the grain on hand on
the farm is no inconsiderable item and
then we have the stalk fodder, which, with
hay at prices it has borne for some
years past, and promises to bear for
some years TO come, is no small item
with all who may grow the crop. From
experience aud observation, | should es-
innate the value Of the stoyer from an
acre Of good corn equal to the cost Of
blowing, planting and care Of the same
then we have the grain to offset against
interest on land and cost Of manure. With
only ordinary culture, most Of our farms
will produce fifty bushels Of sheled corn to
the acre, aud under thorough culture, from
seventy-fve to one hundred bushels; thus
we may obtain fifty to one hundred per
cent. more grain for the extra manure,
with very little more labor; and the extra
manure is not spent on the crop, but both
manure and extra culture are felt on sue
ceedng crops for several years. If corn
yielding forty bushels, sheled, per acre,
can be grown without ANY loss the increased
quantity above that yield costs very much,
proportionately, less per bushe, than that
or any less quantity, 30 that it will be seen
that in the culture of corn, as well as all
other crops, economy would indicate that
the larger the yield the greater the proper
tiouate profit per bushel, pound, etc, as
every increase beyond certain limits re-
duces the cost of each unit. A little away
from the near proximity Of populous cen
tres few farm, hoed or grain, crops may be
cultivated at better profit than the corn
crop Compared with other farm crops it
may be considered a certain one, and when
proper attention is paid to its requirements
Of culture, selecting seed, etc, it scarcely
ever results in failure. Unlike some other
special crops, there is very little cause for
worry, constant, unceasing care, as with
them Although we are largely dependent
upon the seasons, rain, sun and dew, still
these are greatly modified by tillage, and
some valuable return is as certain as seed
time and harvest occur. The soils in which
the crop succeeds is of greater diversity
than any other product of the farm, so that
there is no excuse for not growing corn on
the score of suitable soil, although, like all
other plants, corn will do better with the
same attention on some soils than on others,
culture often being compeusating agent
where natural requisites are lacking.
As to the question of blowing the soil
for corn, practical men differ in their views
still we find that these views are govern
ed, or much modified, by questions of soil
While some soils may be plowed turned
up) to the depth of ten to twelve inches or
more, others will bear only three or four
inches in depth. Heavy, close, or hard sub
soils, need breaking with the subsoil pillow,
while loose or porous subsoils are not im-
proved by subsoiling. All experiments on
heavy soils 60 to prove that loosening the
soil to great depth tends TO the improve
ment of the crop it neither suffers so
much from drouth in dry season, nor from
wet in wet season, as soil less deeply pull
verlzed--the water in one instance passing
more freely from the surface, and in the
other the soil acts more in its capillary ca.
pacity, yielding up its moisture as demand
ed. Not only this, but the admission of
air acts upon any humus contained in the
soil, dissolving out its carbonic acid, which
the roots of the plants may more readily
absorb, or take up, as also other elements
are similarly acted upon. Considered in its
broadest sense, | can but consider corn one
OF our most valuable hoed crops, and it
should be more largely cultivated on our
New England farms for there is always a
market-if not for ready cash to our minds,