Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-03-26
Corn aad It's Cultivation.
HUGH L. wYSOE.

catalogues are already beginning to
offer different varieties of seed corn,
perhaps few observations in reference
to the seed and the cultivation Of this
cereal, derived from my own expert
ence, aynot prove undressing to
your readers.
In Johnson's Encyclopedia Of Agri-
culture, we are informed that there are
only five original varieties Of corn
cultivated in the Middle aud southern
States, and that all other varieties are
only ln!ermixtures in some form or
other Of these five, to which by careful
selection year by year they may be
brought back. These five are described
as being the big and the little white
flint, the big and the little yellow flint,
and the white Virginia gourd seed. The
yellow gourd seed is said to be a
mixture of one or the other Of the two
yellow kinds and the white gourd seed.
AT the same time, by years Of careful
selection, a fixed characteristic may be
given to a mixed variety at which it
will remain with but little variation. l
believe that what is here stated is in the
main correct.
In the spring Of 1875, purchased in
New York city, one-half bushel of a
corn called the Mammoth White Dent,
which planted about the 18th of May.
In this climate Git must be understood
that live in southwest Virginia, the
climate of which is not greatly different
from that of Maryland or Penusylvania)
corn is generally planted between the
Goth Of April aud the Goth of May fol-
lowing, nnless the variety be the pure
white nint, called here Rareripe, which
may be planted as late as the middle of
une. As rule, the pure white flint
is not planted except by some few for
bread, nor do we plant the pure white
gourd seed, but all shades OF varieties
between the two mentioned. Iplanted
the white Dent, which must have Origi-
mated in some Southern o. Western
State, as before stated; and on The 18th
Of October, although it was not then
mature, cut it in order to avoid FROST
1t proved to be a rather short-eared
variety, with very deep grains, a large
cob, carrying from 20 to 80 rows, and
the best ears would easily shell out a
pint OF corn, though it would not
weigh nearly so well as a finty corn.
From the half bushel planted, l saved
only a bushel wich thought would
terminate. This l mixed with the
same quantity Of a corn raised from
seed received of the Department of
Agriculture, called Runners White, a
very white. hOury corn. with long ears
Of 10 to Is rows. \ large proportion
oil THIS mixture SUI ialieu 10 mature as
1t osght' and accordingly the year lol-
lowing put ID win Il some Oh the KINDS
us"aHN P'"n''u mere WIG" III" '"e
general elect al reh''rlh! ire ears more
plenty. ana "ir'hdtrln@ Inc SIZE 81 th'm
from x &" II rows can now =" 20
my cfl' a"' r'rk 'i AZ rp'~''.' d.
a n'n '~ 80 .i- %
Nar''l-
"''" -
'"A ','
'e". ".-'
mer' u ''' ven ''''
single pure variety i P''n''u II Is "'l"
cult W Ae' II So 'i'." '''o e"S' WIN
WINCH uiHereh' A'"os in'eIul'A' A"e
question: 'he'l arlS7S' " ne'"cr II Is oe''cr
10 pant niiA'ureS oi Tue Sor' ABOVE
uescrloeu' d pure oriSlp"I Variety Ut d
in'Aeu variety VIII "Neu o'i"'"o'ei''-
''c' TOT m o"n part nave no in'o'-
malion Oh 'li'S PolnV'
10 snow no" di'ncuiI II IS 10 Tx Ine
character Vi "uy ni'Ael variety Vi coF''i
VIII sIa'e my own experience Last
spring SeIec'eu from my crlo one ear
VI TWO Aincs-one " l-'ro"ed corn Win
grams rS'Ser ueep ouV naru' oroao'
nuted between 'he rows and easily
sheillhg out one pint OF grams; Tue
other an lS-rowea corn Wild deep
mario" ihdentFd grams carried on the
snaiieS' COZ ever saw WIN the rows
periec'iy suaisht ana Ihe SMALLEST
possioie space iost between them'
pianted lhose TWO ears 10 such manner
lnat was pretty certain that they
could not in'ermlX win each other' and
so that the preValiin2 WINDS would not
Diow The poiiep from neighooring crops |
among them' Wnen gathered the
product, found OF the first kind not |