Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-01-31
New England Corn. Growing.

Chemistry is trying the experiment OF
raising corn on the same land for five
or ten consecutive years, using home
made chemical fertilizers exclusively.
La appcn ling what he says, we call
special attention TO his remarks on the
value of cur New Eagla,h corn and the
comparative certainty oil crop.
Last year he saws our corn crop was
very satisfactory one, being about
eighty bushels TO the acre of shelled
corn. This year the severe drought.
which commenced in tile middle of
July and lasted the rest OF the season.
injured the crop greatly. We are cou-
iident, from the appearance of the plants
mp to The time when the want of rain
checked The growth, that with fair
supply of moisture the crop would
have been larger than lat wear. Corn i
however, the crop of all ether that with
stand drought, and the burning heat
during the months of july aud August
hah wv NhN ph 10y hhA hth'
than fifty bushel, to the acre. This
peculiar power OF resistance 10 the in
fluen c OF dry season is what gives TO
corn raising a certainty not pertaining
to other crops ; and farmers must con-
stantly bear in mind that the corn crop
is surer than any other. no matter what
the season may turn out to be- II is
indeed a great qualification to know
that the area planted to this crop in
Eastern Massachusetts, the past season
has been greater than in any of the ten
preceding years. We have persistently
advocated corn raising in New England;
and if we have contributed to the in
crease of this important and profitable
crop in this section. we have good reas-
on 10 be pleased. Corn is noble grain,
and certainly one of the most easily
cultivated OF all the cereals. a bushe
OF our sound Northern corn in the ear
is worth as much to feed to stock As a
bushel of shelled corn such as comes to
Us from the South and West. Tie
meal produced from grinding the cobs
with the corn (homc grown will pro-
duce as much milk. or fat, or muscular
power, a. comes from the pure meal of
ordinary Western corn, pound for
pound. This we are confident is a cor
rect view. for we have experimental
with the two qualities of grain upon
our milch cows, horses and other AMI
mails TOR several years. The high nu
tritive value OF our Northern or New
England corn must not be lost sight of
by farmers.
To return TO our corn crop. il NAV be
said that there is little room for doubt
that the chemical or concentrated fertil-
izers are best adapted to supply pabnlum
tn the plant. Their use on soils that
have not been under cultivation serves
to keep out weeds, which is an import
ant consideration. On our field scarce
ly any weeds appeared this year, and
once using the cultivaror served to keep
the field clean. Now, if il is proved
that our rough lands eau be brought
under the plough, and planted to corn
for many successive years, withoutsihe
labor OF hauling manure and repeated.
ly cutting up weeds, valuable informa-
ton is gained. The phosDhates used
were prepared at the farm, and the
heterogeneous element came from nitrate
of soda ana animal dust, the potash
the hfne from plaster or gypsum.
These agents are all accessible to farm
ers, seperate or combined. and they
form all hist the plant needs to perfect
its seeds. The ease with which they
can be sown broadcas, on the field.
saving time aud laber, affords a striking
contrast TO the use OF animal manures.