Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-12-10
Raising Corn.

The soil best adapted to corp is warm
loan. say warm loan, for although
corn will accommodate itself to cold soil
and a cold climate, it is a plant which
especially requires heat for its highest per.
fection. II will not even vegetate in soil
whose temperature Is less than ftty-6ve de-
grees. Aud II IL Is exposed to the nallgu
Influences Of cold and wet soil, IL will
never recover. no matter how favorable the
season may be. A corn crop may be injured
as much by the effects Of cold soil upon
the seed as by an AutumnAl FROST Corn
should never be planted, therefore, until the
atmosphere has beea tempered by summer
heat and the soil has been well warmed by
the early summer sun. 1t should be planted
at such time and in such soil that il will
germinate at once, and start forth in life
with strong aud healthy green color. A
yellow and stunted growth in the corn crop
is never followed BY vigorous and pro6ta.
bic maturity II is heat, then, which corn
requires warm soil and warm weather
1t ls only under fortunate circumstances like
these that great crop can be raised and
il is only by tho observance Of this law that
the average yield Of corn in any locality can
be brought to the highest degree.
The preparation Of the soil for corn plant
ing is simple and similar TO that required by
the other compon field crops. If stubble
land is to be used it should be thoroughly
pulvOrized by one early aud one later spring
plowing. If, however, scotland is to be
used, it should be plowed immediately before
tho planting, aud the furrow set at an angle
Of forty-fvs degrees 10 order to secure a
proper and necessary circulation Of the air
through the soil during the early growing Of
the corn, and in order to provide for the
most effective application Of manure, to
which l shall allude hereafter. The land
should not be plowed in the autumn with
any idea that this will be substitute for
spring blowing, but only in heavy stubble
land as valuable preliminary to the cult.
walton Of the next year. Nor should the
manure be applied in the autumn unless you
are willing to lose one-haf Of that stimu.
lating power which corn especially demands
Of its fertilizers.
Corn is one Of the crops to which green,
uudecayed barn-yard manure can be pro6ta-
bly, applied. l have spoken of the use Of
sod land for the corn crop; aud it is TO land
of this description that green manure may
be applied with great advantage. If you
will spread the manure broadcast upon the
land just before plowing, and turn your sod
upon it, not fat, but at the angle have
designated, you will prepare for the most
rapid and sudden decomposition during those
very weeks in which the corn grows most
vigorously. The bed which you have thus
prepared for rootlets when they are engaged
in their busiest operation is the best that
can be conceived Of The heat of the active
decomposition, the fortunate combination Of
decaying vegetable matter and manure. and
the texture Of the crumbliug sod, all COM
bine to make this mode Of fertilizug especially
applicable to the corn crop. IL should be
borne in mind that 10 addition 10 the manure
plowed under the cod, some form Of fertilizer
should be applied in the hill. at the time Of
blowing, in order to give the seed an early
start; or to the plant itself at the FIRST hoe
ing. Half shovelful OF wel.rotted manure
in the hill is, doubt not, the best fertilizer
that can be used for this purpose. Plaste
has been used, but it is too wet for this crop
Bones prepared as laid down in the early
debates Of this club are very useful. Hall
gill of guano, or gill of superphOsphate
may be applied with advantage. The drop
pings of poultry composted with u smai
quantity of muck, and well decOmposed, hai
great effect. Lime is Of no value, unles
you prefer a large amount Of fodder to {
good crop of grain. Ashes applied on th'
surface at the first hoeing not only stimulate
the plant, but they tend to destroy and driv
away many Of the insects and worms whicl
are injurious to the crop.-Dr LOring, Il
Boston Globe.