Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-10-31
FARM AND FlRfSIEDE.
Waushahum Farm Notes.

In our anxiety to obtain some corn
notes for use in this number we have
harvested two Of the single kernel
plants growing IN the garden, and have
counted the kernels Of crop. The trou-
bic with these plants has been that they
have been growing alone, and hence
have lacked pollen for the proper fertili-
eaton of theirears. This is shown by
the numerous vacancies, and abertiye
ovaries. Nota single ear is perfect,
and yet the kernels which have develop
ed are very full and large-much Target
in fact than those in our regularly plan
ted fields. eoa
These two plants, grown from one
kernel Of corn, and root-pruned, bore
each fourteen ears. The number kerr
nels was 1881 and 1887 respectively.
Attic time of the plucking, this corn was
too soft to shell, august 28th), and
hence no effort was made to weigh and
measure the crop. We however did
this: We weighed one hundred rker-
nels as shelledfrom an ear Of last years
crop, apd these weighed just 600 gralns;
we may therefore calculate with con-
siderable certainty that if these kernels
we harvested had been left to mature,
we should have received a return Of
1926 grains and II, $40 grains respec-
lively, or expressed in ounces 1915 and
1916 respectively. As these ears con
tanned the oyaries for at least 5000 ker.
nels, we may assume with considerable
certainty that if we had planted corn jig
their neighborhood sufficiently near tc
have furnished pollen, we could have
harvested, at least, 90 ounces to the
plant. The only value Of such an as.
sumption is to show to US the possibih-
ties ofincrease Of the corn plant. These
plants occupied no more space than q
field planted 1-2by IL feet would
suffice for, and it is certainly within the
limits ofpossibility that each hill of q
field planted by feet might do as well
If we but know how to time. cur OPP.
erations correctly for each bill. Now
planting one kernel every by 4 feet
would give 1922 plants to the acre
2,722 by GO ounces would be 1l,73s
pounds, or 200 - bushels of sc pounds,
each.
On September ), we harvested anoth.
er hill, the growth of a single kernel.
The 20 years yielded 1906 kernels Of
corn, equivalent TO, say 46 ounces. il
weighed mature. As one nine inch cal
counted 357 kernels, this total yield is
equivalent to 3.35S kernels divided By
357 kernels equals 9 40 full ears. Sc
the question whether a corn plant car
asslmilate enough nutriuent for Eve Oh
six or even nine ears is fully disposed
Of. i5s --e
Such view as we have given above
may have no more value than to cal
our attentions to the great difference
between crops realized, and those
which may be figured through fmultipli
cation Of single results. They may al
SO serve purpose, as We think, in call
ing our attention to how much there i;
for us to learn, before we can hope tt
obtain the largest field results, and it j:
for this reason that5we offer them.
Inl876, Mr.. Conrad Wilson Of New
York, gave extended advertisement O
large premium offer for The heavies
yields Of corn, raised under different
circumstances. Just note the falling
off in quantities. as the area is increas
ed.
E. R. Jones, Of Tennessee, raised
81 IA ounces from one KERNEL, or al
the rate of189 bushels per acre, o.
1922 hills from one kernel each. 37
II. G. Allen, Of Kentucky, raised
% IA bushels Oh Is efan acre, oral
the rate of 1876 bushels per acre.
A. Ford, of Texas, raised go bushels
of ears, or $50 bushels of grain on a
measured acre.
The moral is that the care the COM
petltor exercised on the small area Of
twentyr reds, produced nearly the pro-
portion Of yield indicated by the single
hill carefully tended; while the acre
yields result far inferior, as probably
not having received such careful indi-
vidual hill attendance.
Our Waushakum Farm results, civ.
ing nearly identically the same number
Of grains on two plants, and the fact o.
no especial provision for fertilization, is
fully as instructive as these premium re.
ports. 1t shows in fact the possibii.
ties of farming under intelligent culture
because these results were purposely
produced through root-prunning, an6
are IN excess, in large excess, of any
volunteer plant in neighborng garden
Did we consider maximum results pro
duced at maximum cost of any value
to the farmer, we doubt not but that
we could obtain not only an 1S6 bushe
yield, but even a 200 bushe1 or moro
yield, on Wauslakum Farm. The game,
however. is not worth the candle
What we hope to do, is through the
breeding of our seed, and a careful study
Of the habits Of the plant. to produce
these results, in a few years, under the
conditions suited to the farm practice,
Waste not-waste not, is our motto
Maximum crops at maximum cost. even
lift takes several years to work outfhe
problem Scientific Farmer. s as
LEMON CAKE.-One cup of bntter
two cups Of sugar; five eggs beaten sep
arately; the gratedFind and juice Of one
cup OF one lemon one cup Of sweet
milk; one-half teaspoonful ofsoda one