The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-07-26
Cultivation of COrn.=A

Cultivation of Corn.-A correspond
ent of the Scientific american, in writing
of the cultivation of corn, says: June Is
the month for cultivating our crops, and
ON this process, very much depends.
Whether the hand-hoe or the horse i'm
plement is used, depends on the habits
of the individual, and his facilities; but
the work to be accomplished rests on
other circumstances than those of the
individual. Thus the nature of the corn
crop requires that the cultivation should
be deep as possible and close to the
plants as may be, before the bloom.
After the bloom, the ground wants to be
disturbed as little as possible, so that the
growth of the plant may not be interfered
with unnecessarily through the cutting
or breaking of the roots. Hence horse
hoe is capable of more efficient work than
the hand-hoe, at the first stages of the
! crop, or up to the time of bloom, and its
use means increase of crop. Let US
| investigate the reasons which underlie
this advice.
If stalk of corn be taken, just before
the appearance of the tassel or flowing
stalk, and cross cut made at each joint,
small ear of corn will be seen at each
cut, and if carefully dissected, it will be
seen to be perfect in all its parts. If now,
another stalk be taken, little further
advanced, so that the tassel may be
readily seen, and the same cuts now
made, we shall find no appearance of an
embryo at the lower joints, but shall find
some at the upper. A third stalk taken
when the tassel is in readiness to bloom,
will show the ears which are to be de-
veloped into the crop, but no others.
This observation, which was repeatedly
verified last year in various fields o1
corn, and explained and demonstrated to
many individuals, can receive only the
following Interpretation Nature ha:
made provision for an ear of corn at eacl
Joint of the stalk but as the stalk devel
; ops, from some unknown reason, the
, major number of these embryo ears arr
absorbed into the plant, and but one, O.
occasionally more, are developed.
+ Now, if through human interference
: these embryo ears are to be developed
into crop, the requisite action must tax
place before the absorption takes place
in which these ears are present in tn
plant to be developed Theory indicate
that check to the vegetative luxurianc
of this period, would have an influence il
promoting the prolifcacy. Experimen
has shown that root-pruning the plan
q does check the growth for short season
! does prevent in measure the absorption
of these ears, and does therefore increas
, the crop. Hence deep and close cultiva
! ton which root-prunes, and which is az
: piled before the absorption of these ear
o in embryo has taken place, must be bene
- fetal.
This root-pruning idea, originating
p with ourselves, is receiving development
! in the articles entitled, " A New Theor,
! of Tillage," and we shall not, therefore
T develop it more fully here; but will onl
i say that last year we obtained twenty
! three ears of corn from one kernel of cor
planted, and also large Increase from
small area of field treated Scompa7
4 atively. Unfortunately, the excessiy
e drought of last season prevented us frol
: experimenting on a large scale, and in a
V excessive and exclusive manner, as W
desired. Yet our garden experiment
and house results, were of sufficier
q promise to carry with them a convictio
n n that we were working on an untried an
"a important subject of the most promisin
IS character for practical application.