Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-03-26
We may now make a cal:ulatlon

hill, there will be $3.50 plants to the
acre; and if we suppose that every two
plants yield one pint, the yield per acre
will be IS bushels. Now l can plcb
from my crib 64 cars which will shell
out a bushel, or one pint to the ear. IT,
then, we suppose that every PLAN
Yields one pint, with the ground laid of
as before, the yield will be double, OF
$50 bushels per acre. Thus, under the
most perfect conditions, it is always
possible to raise $50 bushels to the acre
but then these perfect conditions are
rarely if ever obtained. Such a result
as the above Is frequently obtained or
small plots ofground or on fractions O
an acre, sometimes on one or two acres
hut it is not at all probable on a large
field. AS a matter of fact. L have
averaged 70 bushels on eight acres. "A
man may select ears which will shell
out one pint to the ear, but he canno
do this by taking the ears in the ordel
they grow in the field, for there is al
ways a large proportion Of nubbins' an'
many plants fail to ear all These
nubbins come either from replants o.
from the thin parts of the field. A
stand of corn is never so good but tina
there is more or less replanting to b'
done. and not unfrequently the replant'
constitute a very fair share of the field
Remnants do not usually ear well, no
because, as is frequently supposed there
is not time for them to mature, but DC
cause they are shaded by the earliel
and larger plants, which cut OIL the
sunshine and the air from them AM
cause them to grow as they would under
the shade of a tree. Making all neces-
saw allowances, so bushels per acre
on good land ought at present be con
sidered good yield.
How far apart the plants stand, ant
whether they should be checked Oh
drilled. is a question which depends fol
its answer on the variety to be planted
and the character OF the soil. The
small kinds, may, of course, be planted
much closer than the large.
1t must always be borne in mind thai
air is as necessary to the existence o
corn as to that of the human being
Want of air has pretty much the same
effect on a crowded field of this crop a;
it has on a great number of people
closely collected in small house on q
hot day in summer.
Plants that grow II to 10 feet high
should stand not less than four feei
apart each way, as then they can gel
air in four directions. Corn which has
been checked has the advantage thai
il can be worked with less hard labor
especially when the land is very fou
with weeds. In very sandy soils it !;
absolutely essential that the ground be
marked off both ways, as otherwise the
plants will burn up, or lire" as 1t l.
called. It is meant by this that when
the corn is about to shoot, the blad ;
viii turn yellow from the ground to
above the ear. the stalk becomes hard.
and the ear fail to ill. Drilling nay b"
prdcliced with advantage III clds Spii>.
A plan sometimes Dlrslsl mere Is 20
la, of sc rows lire ts,- apart, aa'
p ant every Il inches ia the roT.
,h,u,4uy g. ga -'ail. RS 81, II ~
3. is. ,,ru-,.l ne, POINTS - 'i.
.r,..Iu .Ir. rp.. - 'H.'. ".
81, ~ 10 co.
..i 4.t .p'.i et'- Id 4Ne -r
ga. .'.i .t>.. Ar
yef .... Nrl i ,.aI'-tm'i - ,trr.
o4co >as iir.d ii 10 tcr.a planted IN
this way, which was estim ited by good
judges to average 60 bushels pr acre.
Here we never leave more than two
stalks in hill, as in this way the ears
are so much longer and larger, that
they will yield more than when three or
four stalks are left, especially as in the
latter case, the plants frequently do not
have any ears at all from being too
crowded.
1t would be the highest Of folly for a
man here to pursue the plan followed
by Judge Buel III raising l2O bushels to
the acre, which was to plant in drills,
tworows in drill, the plants nine in.
ches apart, and three feet nine inches
from the center Of the drills. AS an
may statethat on one oc-
casion l determined, ifpossible, to raise
100 bushels on an acre. l marked of
an exact acre of sandy land. which had
been heavily minurcd for the purpose
aud planted the corn in rows three feet
apart, with the plants two feet apart,
and two stalks in the hill. The corn
grew nearly IA feet hight was a large
yellow kind from OniO-but on two
thirds of it there was not a single ear,
so that instead Of raising 100 bushels,
[ raised scarcely ten. The corn was
burnt up for want of air.
A word now as to the object to be
sought after in cultivating corn, and
shall caase to try the patience of your
readers. One object is, of course, TO
keep down the weeds, but the principal
object is to stunt the growth of the
stalk. In this, concur in the opinion
of DR.. SturtevanL that the roots must
be pruned. That corn should grow to
the hight of Ii or Is feet, as the seeds.
Il 4. 81