Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-04-24
Farm a''n honssbolO.
ovsr 100 Bushels Of Ger. o. a. ae-..

sFs. -" Sss0e.s g Ses. us A s1s.e.
The Somerset Reporter states that Mr..
Brooks ID. Savage of Skowhegan, who
has always commended that upwards o.
100 bushels OF shelet corn could be
raised on an acre of land, the past year
gave practical proof that it coul d be
done.
The Reporter SAYS: Last Nav, the
2oth, he planted just an acre OF land.
The soil was graveily loan aud wa,
said 10 be poor aud almost worthless.
Tue land was thickly spread with green
manure and the ground was then fur
rowed quite deep and phosphate (Br2d-
ley's) spread in the iurrow. just Us
pounds OF phosphate were used on the
acre. The phosphate was covered with
two inches of dirt. and the corn drop
ped on to that. Instead OF planting in
hills the corn was dropped one kernel
in place and the kernels one foot
apart. Compton corn was selected a.
The seed. Mr.. Savage thinks that the
corn would have done better if the dis
lance between the kernels was a Little
more. He finds great advantage from
this way of planting as it is much east
er TO hoe and cultivate than when in
hills. The corn was first cultivated the
middle Of June. In all it was hoed and
cultivated three times. 1t was culIivat-
ed fat. About the fret OF September
the corn was topped and left to ripen a
month before the ears were picked.
Mr.. Savage harvested POS bushels Of
ears, weighing A. pounds to the basket
Being anxious TO ascertain how much
the Compton would shrink he kiln dried
1t thoroughly for something like two
months and then found that it weighed
81 pounds of shelled corn, having shrunk-
Ell 10 pounds from the cob green The
whole lot of corn weighed when shelled
6020 pounds or l07 - bushels, which
was raised from a single acre.
Just to ascertain If possible what the
cost OF the crop would be, Mr.. Savage
kept record OF The expense and we
give ii as follows: six quarts of seed,
$50; ploughing and narrowing, $500;
furrowing and planting. $500; phos
plste, Sl4.25; one-ihird cost OF manure,
$500; cultivating and hoeing. 5000;
total cost, s3l.25.
The above figures will be conceded TO
be very liberal. No account of the bar
vesting is made as the fodder obtained
is made TO offset that labor.
Now let some farmer who is buying
Western corn TO use on his farm figure
up how he can manage to have l07 l-2
bushels of il delivered at his door tor
$50 % or even $50.
This one operation plainly demon
strates that corn can be raised cheaper
in Somerset county than it can be
brought from the West. Farmers
should make a note OF the fact.
Next year Mr.. Savage is to compete
for the premium offered by the Lewis
ton Journal and he gives notice thai
be will not be satisfied with any such
crop as he raised this year.
The French minister OF finance has
done good deed in causing a pacsrd
to be posted, which it would be wise
for citizens of all countries to have tie
fore their eyes. 1t tells farmers, sports
men. boys and others what creatures
not to kill, as follows:
.'Hedgehog-Lives mostly on mice,
small rodents, slugs and grubs-ani-
mails hurtful to agriculture. Don't
kill the hedgehog.
"Toad-Farm assistant; he DESTROYS
twenty to thirty insects per hour. Don't
kill the toad.
"Mole-is continually desiro, ing
grubs, laiva. palmer worms. ard in
sects injurious to agriculture. No trace
of vegetation is ever found in its s,om-
ach. Don't kill the mole.
DHus-IdCu OcpdttuC loece etN
eral millions annually through insects.
Birds are the only enemies able to con
tend against them vigorously. The,
are the great caterpillar killers and az
ricultural assistants. Children dom,
disturb their nests