The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-26
EARN, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD,
Method In Raising Corn.


At late meeting of the Western New
York farmers club, Mr.. Root discussed
the question of the manner of produc-
ing corn cheaply as follows: He said he
could do no better than give his prac-
tice. Corn is undoubtedly our great
national crop. Had found that in pre-
pairing land for corn, especially heavy
soils, the better way is to spread ma
nure from the barnyard on the surface,
and plow it under. Many claim that to
plow it under is to promote loss from
teaching. His experience is to the con-
trary. In land with firm subsoil there
is no loss. Porous subsoils will waste
little, but much less in his opinion than
many suppose. More is lost by evapora-
tion than by teaching. Last fall, plowed
under manure on portion Of his wheat,
and left it on the surface on another
portion. The wheat on that plowed un-
der was much the better in the spring.
After blowing his corn ground, har-
rows it until fine and mellow. Don't
want roller on corn; it is different from
wheat. Can't get the ground too light
for corn. The last thing before plant
ing goes over it with smoothing mar
row. Takes his wheat drill and drills IN
the rows four feet apart, using peck OF
corn to the acre, making the rows as
straight as possible, and would pass over
with smoothing harrow after drilling.
Has found it good plan to 60 over oats
or barley with the smoothing harrow
after drilling. Has mixed plaster and
superphosphate and drilled in with
corn.
AS soon as the corn begins to come
up, would use smoothing harrows on
light lands, but the common harrow on
heavy. Then he uses the common Guilt
vator, running very close to the rows.
Can run closer to corn in drills than in
hills, and can cultivate cleaner than by
going both ways whe1 planted in hills.
Keeps cultivator going once week tl!l
the corn is too large. At the last cultl-
vation, uses hitler Of his own make to
hill up little and cover weeds between
stalks.
Has raised as good corn as he ever
raised without using hoe, but where
there are Canada thistles or quack grass
would 20 over and cut up with hoe after
corn is too large to cultivate. Had killed
thistles and quack by one crop OF
corn.
In harvesting, cuts up at the ground
and shocks. We sometimes make TOO
large shocks for corn to cure well.
There should never be more than one
bushel in a shock. Takes five rows and
brings the stalks OF two rows together to
start The shock. This holds the shock
more firmly than where it is stood up
around one hill, and leaves more OF an
open space in the center. In husking,
throws his corn upon the ground, draws
in upon the barn floor, and assorts, crib
bing his sound and feeding his soft to
stock. Cost OF raising, If course, de-
pends on yield and soil. His, for Sc
ries of years, averages one hundred
bushels Of ears to the acre. We can raise
corn as cheaply here as anywhere. Be-
lieyes that we should raise our own corn
for feeding, and not depend upon the
Western States, as some advocate. The
stalks, if properly cured, are as good as
hay.
Some fine plump cabbage seed were
distributed in the farmers club for ex-
pertinent; they were raised on the rich
tide lands of Puget sound, in Washing
ton Territory. The donor wrote that he
can easily obtain one pound of seed per
head. He raises none except from the
largest, best formed heads and from the
best Eastern grown stock. He believes
that the reason English cabbage seed
are not as reliable for heading as Ameri-
can is that not as much care is taken
with the seed stock; they save too many
loose heads and stumps for seed and
have run the stock down. It is well
known that at least more than one-half
of the cabbage seed annually sown in
this country is destroyed by the cab
bage flea and hesmall white grub which
preys upon the roots of the plant, eat
ing off all the fbers and leaving only one
long top root, which renders the plant
worthless, for if it servives the trans
planting it is sure to be affected by the
club root and other diseases.
A brief discussion grew out OF the
exhibition of this seed, in relation tc
whether seed raised In one latitude will
readily thrive in another. .
DR.. Smith believed not, but thought
they would soon degenerate. He re-
called some squash seed he eonce brought
from Damascus, and some onions from
near Mount Lebanon; the first was ol
the long necked kind, measuring foul
feet, and the other of mammoth size
In two years the seed from the long
squash produced an ordinary round
squash, and the onions came down In
three years to the ordinary English
kind; and this in spite of the very best
cultivation.
Professor Cotton, OF Tennessee, re-
peated the old rule that it will not do to
take seeds from hot to cold climate.
DR.. Trimble referred to the failure oi
the seeds distributed in times past by
the United States patent Office, as proof
of the fact that seeds taken from one
latitude will not do well in another.
Effect of Gypsum.
A correspondent of the Times writes
In reading some remarks on gypsum
and its application, I noticed sugges
tive error in regard to its application
upon plants when wet. learned year.
ago, by a chance circumstance, tina
plaster does no go till thorough,
washed into the ground by rainfall. sgA
part of field OF corn was plastered be
fore and part after heavy shower
That part plastered before the shower
where the plaster was washed out O
sight Immediately, put on deep greer
color and grew rapidly, while that plas
tered after the shower, where the plaster
remained in dry state around the hills
retained its yellow color, and grew more
slowly; and although it assumed the
deep green, and commenced growing
when the other rains came two weeks
afterward, it never overlook the other
the difference being plain to be seer
during the summer.
The action of gypsum upon plants
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