The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-12-01

Increasing The Yield OF Corn.
Indian corn rs we suppose every farmer
knows, is giant species Of grass principally
cultivated for its nutriciOus seed. But, cOnsid.
ering the immense growth OF TIC stalk and the
number and size of the leave. the proportion
of grain produced is exceedingly small; in
fact far less than the ample provision which
Nature seems to have provided IN organs OF
assimilation would lead us to think it might
be, if the forces Of the plant were properly di
rected. An ear of corn is at most an auxiliary
branch well furnished with leaves for the prop
er and full assimilation of the crude sap rs 1t
rises from the SOIL and the question must
have occurred to every one who has taken the
trouble to examine stalk OF corn, why an ear
should be produced from one, two or three
Joints and not from others? On the stems OF
very tall growing varieties we find from hlteen
TO twenty joints. and, springinS from each at
least one leaf and, by ever so careful an eX-
animation, we will find no good reason why
there should not also be IN ear OF corn starting
from the same point 1t is true that, in our
common varieties, we do not find the ears IN
the position which nature see ms to have de-
signed they should occupy, and it is question
worthy of careful investigation wethcr the alb
scnce of ears from each joint, or the general
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF corn, is not To be attrlbut-
ed to a want Of proper selections of seed. The
kinds now in cultivation are all of one species,
and originated through the selection and pres
crvatiOn Of varieties, whatever may have been
the causes controlling their origin. It Is also
notable fact that the strongest growing and
most notable varieties are the least, or 1T best,
no more productive than those Of weak or
moderate growth.
The larger sorts, principally cultivated in
the south and west, produce very large grain,
and very short ears with many rows OF kCr-
ncls upon each but seldom more than one ear
to a stalk; but the average yield per acre Is
far below the smaller varieties of the north.
The taller and cOarser growing sorts as rule
produce fewer ears to the stalk than the me
dunn or dwarfS and unless the one large ear
per stalk yields more grain than the smaller
variety with two or three, there IS no gain in
cultivating the mammoth sorts, buta positive
loss through waste of fcrtilizing materials in
producing Il quantity Of woody fiber which is
generally allowed to 90 to waste. Of course,
while the land is new and rich, il can with
stand this excessive drain upon its fertility in
the production of an excessive amount of stalk
and leaves; but when the soil has parted with
the greater portion Of its fertility, as is the case
in the older states, no further waste can be al
fordcd by the prudent agriculturiSt.
That the farmers of the eastern statcs-and
especially in the more northern of thcm-havt
taken proper view of this matter is quite cvi
dent from the fact that the average yield pei
acre of corn here is some 30 per cent higher
than on the rich prairie lands Of the west. OF
course, this difference is not owing wholly &c
better cultivation of the corn crop, but mainly
to the selection of less vigorous and more pro
ductive sorts. We have seen over 100 bushels
OF shcllcd corn produced on an acre with The
common cight-rowcd yellow fint"a small
variety, but one that can he planted close to
gether, with several stalks III a hill and each
bearing more than one ear. With such varic
ties very little waste materials are produced
and the exhaustion of the soil proportiOnate
ly less than in the cultivation of the coarscl
growing sorts.
We presume no farmer believes that the lin
it of productiveneSs in corn has yet been
reached, but how best to increase the yield Is q
moOtcd question. Some are seeking an IN
crease by selecting the largest ears, Others the
largest grain and the greatest number OF rows
upon the cob, while another class of expert
mentors seek the same result 10y selecting sort:
with the greatest number OF ears upon the
stalk. Now, if we take any given variety
which will average only one ear to each stalk
and through selection or otherwise can pro
duCc a sort that will average two ears equal IN
size and weight Of grain to the parent variety
il is evident that the yield per acre Will bt
doubled at no greater cost for cultivation, anc
without any exhaustive effect upon the soil
Ifthe variety selected produce two ears to til,
stalk and we can Il u third of equal size
then we increase t.. produCtivcnesS 90 pei
cent, or one-ha!t .ch an advance may no
be obtained at U.,,e, Jut it is certainly within
the range of Possibilities, and the man who
strives to secure t.'S result can scarcely fail i
he works intcligtnl!y and persistently. 1t is
folly for a man l. 49y that his corn Is gooo
enough while t...c!s 2 chance for an improve
ncnt, for it vii! Ost no more to plant and cul
tivate variety Nn.ch will produce 200 bushcl:
'.lt 1,a1k tllT my
and the only ton 10 be settled Is: Car
such prolific sorts !, produced? As we hav,
already said, thcr, - NJ thing in the nature o
corn 10 prevent the production of six ears upOL
the stalk as well as one, for with each ear i:
produced an extra number of leaves, thereby
adding corresponding forces, or organs of ~
s,milating the elements drawn from the soil
The prominent objects to be kept in view
are: FIRST, the grain; second, stalks and leave'
fer fodder, and, as y rule We shpn!d aim tC
produce the greatest amount Of grain from
given area OF land. As il Is our belief that Tn,
highest point OF prOduCtiycness can be reached
rrorc quietly by increasing the number Of ear
81 the stalk than by seeking merely TO increase
the size, we advise every cultivator Of corn L
commence making selections in accordance
si.h this theory during the present huskin!
season. Ii three ears can be found upon
stalk weighing more than any two found in
similar position, then let the iirst BE- laid away
for seed. Let this principal be adopted ant
faithfully carried out for several years in sue
cession, and it il our bclieftha; great advance
can be made even with the most common
4CCtS.
But ii is no; necessary to confine ones cx
rer;ments to selections from established varie
g.ea, for il i easy to produce new sorts b.
crossing There are varieties Of the popcorn
zhich produce five or six ears ~ the stalk aul
rse-, will answer ~ an excellent stsrtin 2 poin
or basis tor experimenting, il being an cas-,
matter to increase the size 81 the by fertil
.ziug the pistil sith pollen from larger sorts
T. would BE- best, perhaps, 10 keep the popcorn
70. what We may call The mother stock, plant
ING the variety with which We wish to eros