Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-04-27

II is evident that within a few years the
attention Of farmers was been turned more
than formerly to the growing Of Indian corn.
IL Is believed that the amount raised in the
state in 1876 was fifty per cent creator than
that reported by the census, and that the av-
erage the past year was twenty per cent
larger than that Of the year Immediately pre-
ceeding.
Though the average product Of corn per
acre in our state is put down in official pa
pers at less than forty bushels, wo have re-
ports representing the yield as greatly ex-
ceeding that quantity. The majority Of our
farmers estimate It at forty-fvo or fifty
bushels; many, sixty to seventy.6ve while
number not very small, report from eight
to one hundred bushels. There are instan-
stances on record in which a far greater
product is claimed. A gentleman in Epping
few years ago, reported one hundred aud
seven bushels; the late John Brown, of
Long Island, Lake Winuipiseogee, claims to
have grown one hundred aud thirty bushels !;
and there is on record, in one of our state
journals Of fifty years ago, a statement Of
product of one hundred and sixty-six bushels
of sheled corn to the acre.
Much doubt has been expressed in regard
to the correctness Of these claims. Indeed,
there are few men who believe that on our
soil and with our climate, one hundred BUSH
els can be grown. gdr
There is another matter TO be considered
in this conuection-the manner q measuring
both the land and the crop. II is the prao-
tice, too often, to "pace off an acre for ex-
pertinent, which may contain an eighth or
a quarter extra and in harvest time to count
the "baskets" of ears, divide the number by
two, and claim the quotient as the actual
number OF bushels Of shelled corn obtained.
Another practice is, to weigh the corn when
husked, and call every eighty pounds equal
to one bushel or, if weighed when seasoned
the number of pounds is reduced to seventy.
None of these methods are reliable, for the
very reason that they are not definite. In
view Of these facts, and desire to test the
productiveness of our soil under extra cul-
ture, the board of agriculture invites comps-
tition in the growing Of Indian corn, on the
following conditions
The soil may be of any character, and the
manuring and cultivation such as the culti-
vator prefers; but full acre shall be taken
for the trial, accurately measured, and a
sworn statement of the fact given by the sur
veyor; and definite statement Of the ma
ture of the soil, and the amount and kind Of
fertilizers applied, shall be made.
Each man may select such variety Of
corn as he pleases, aud adopt his own method
Of cultivation and harvesting. No other
crop than corn shall be grown on any part
OF the selected acre, and the crop on the full
acre shall be put into crib or other place
for curing, except that which is unfit for dry
ing
On the first week in January, tests shall
be made and the results reported as follows
The weight Of bushel OF ears, the amount
of sheled corn which it may then yield, the
weight per bushel of kernels, the entire
weight Of all tho ears grown, and the whole
number OF bushels of shelled corn produced
on the acre also the cost per bushel, includ-
ing interest on the market value of the land
the cost of seed, labor, fertilizer, and all
other expense from the first work prepara-
tory to the growth of tho crop to the shelling
of the grain. The cost of all special fertii-
zers, as guano, plaster, phosphate, chemical
salts, etc., shall be given in full, but only
one third of the value of stable or animal
manure need be regarded. The value of the
corn and OF the fodder shall also be given.
The exact manner OF determining the crop
| must be stated.
In case the producer cannot keep the full
crop until January, he may take ten Average
"6aSkets" as standard of the entire har.
vest but this it must be understood, will
not be as satisfactory as the established
method.
Tho statement must in all cases be ex.
plicit, and accompanied by certificate of the
town.clerk, or one or more of the selectmen
of the town. to the effect that he has per.
sonal knowledge Of the matter reported, OIL
has full confidence in the statement made
Reports of the results must be made to the
secretary at Concord in the month of Janu
ary, 1873. In cases where it is practicable
either the secretary or q member of the boarC
will, at some period during the season, visit
the locality, and examine either the growing
or the gathered crop.
Tho Board of agriculture has no authority
to offer premiums for any crops, and only
proposes the foregoing in order to stimulate
farmers to produce better harvests at the low
est possible expense. A report OF the ex
periments and the results, aud the names o
the experinentcrs, shall be given in the an
nual report of the board, and in such paper
Of the state as will give them space.
1t is hoped that large number of farm
ers will make trials in corn-growiug, that W
may prove the capacity of our hard soil i
cold climate. We desire that all who ar
willing to plant an acre specially for the ex
periments named, will give early notice t
james D. Adams, secretary, Concord, N. II
-Bulletin Of Ne,o Hampshire Board Q
Agriculture.