The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-11-20
HOUSEHOLD AND FARM.
The Corn Crop OF 1850.
EY r:c=El, or CHRISTIAN COUNTY.

The Corn Crop Of 1850.
IY p,C-E1, or CHRISTIAN COUNTY.
Careful observation and INQUIRY have cor
WINGED me that the corn crop OF this state vii
ta'l nearly or qn,c onc-third below the aver
age both IN quantity and quality. In the ear
ly part of the season, the earth contained JUS.
Sufficient moisture and warmth to promote
rapid and vigorous growth, and there was
every indication that the crop would be iuil as
large, II no, larger than thc splendid one OF
laS, car. is ~, season advanced. however,
it became evident that the rainfall was Insult
hcient to insure a full growth, and the crop
was fastened rapidly 20 maturity. by the 10Th
of August the drouth had done Its worst; the
stalk ceased to grow, the pith becoming dry,
. and the rar--what there was of it-ripened
quickly Il large part of it was ready to cut
on the 25lh of August. The 18th of Septem.
Der we mad an apparently light frost. The
corn seemed to he untouched by it, yet three
days afterwsrd we we're compelled to cease
CT e, = '~s"' hHirg en dry that the, fell
of AZ the slightest touch. THIS frost was the
last straw" and the average result of the sea-
sons labor is about twothlrds of crop.
TWO METHODS OF CULTURE
have watched with interest the effect OF
this rattyr pCc,.i,ar season Oh early and late
planted corn, and also on the two principal va
rletes--yelow and white. Corn that was
planted early and thlnly, Oh deeply ploughed
land, and thoroughly cultivated IN the early
part Of IT'S growth, will turn out a fair crop. l
find som" rs fine corr % ever saw IN early
planted neds where the hills stand four to five
feet apart with two to four stalks in the hill.
The ears are fairly developed, and the grain
firm and solid. That planted late, or too thick
ly, Is light, chatiy, and the grain thin and
shilv1.iuu, and II viii not make over han u
crop, if Il does that Corn that was planted too
thicky, though put in early and well culEvat
Cd, will yi3d a very light ,Iop. There is q
coed growth of stalk but the ears are small
ard rot well tiil-d. Had TIC season been damp,
this thickly planted corn would nave made Il
heavy crop. Farmers who are in the habit OF
planting five and SIX grains Il 3 hill, and Tie
hills two to three feet apart, are nearly mtnGs
corn this year, but they will stick to their good
old plan all the same, hoping for favorable
season when they can point with pride to an
enormous WELD "a the result Of their superior
In.tnod Ol planting They Will raise three
light crops 10 one heavy one, but that does not
tscn. tll0:. IN TIC Least; wien they co get u
heavy crop, the pleasure they dcrivs from it
more than CCmpensates for the disappointment
oausesi b, tow 'ignt crnps. On the other
Ea.., !sr;i..ia ".iu iIul.s I'VE ~ .;,!t. Igais N
inc hlIj RNt the MUS 1tluT or UVS rrti NDdIl,
and Keep II clear Of weeds, rare'' Ill to raise
a fair crop Of good, sound corn. They never
CT, enormous" yi"ius, because There Is not
sufficient corn on the ground, but they always
get satisfactory ones.
WHITE AND YELLOW CORN
OF the two leading vareties-white end vel
low--uhito tekcs the lead this year, both in
yield and weight, and those who believe it to
no the hest safest md rnoSt prpducIiya variety
eXuitantly point to their fields as proof Of their
belief. have always contended that yellow
corn was the hardest and least affected by ad.
we're seasons; hut confess that it seems to be
little 'Cif' this year. There are good rea-
SONS for believing that white corn Will, this
year, average seven to ten bushels per acre
more tnan yellow Why this Is SO | cannot
say, but it will certainly Increase the mum yer
Of acres planted to whine corn next year.
My experience indn aes that white corn
seed is not quite SO HARDY in cold, wet ground
as yellow, and for that reason i always plant
it last; but when once up, the growth is fully
as strong, and II planted thinly, the ears and
grain will probably average "a little larger. by
picking seed ears early, and carefully housing
tbc.u ti.lvugi the wintri, then planting snai-
low, see no reason why it should not get out
of the ground rs quickly, and start as strong
~, as yellow; but with the average farmer
there seems to be more trouble with white than
with yellow seed cOrU.
CARE OF WHITE CORN.
One OF the chiei objections to white corn is
that it stains easily, and its appearance and
va.lc Is greatly inJucd thereby. An ear that
lleo Oh Tue gIoun~ Through Il week OF wet
weather viii be nearly or quite ruined, ana II
shelled, will lower the market value of whole
load. The only way to provide against this is
m hICE n ,rr,a Ia, k,l 1,,ic
out the damaged ears. Ii must also tic housed
in weil-CoyerUu cribs for the rain and sun will
Quickly stein and ruin oil exposed TO cthc..
Az u4a.iy farmers uI moderate Circumstan
are compelled to crib their corn in rail pens
ana op,n LI!Us, IL As PLAIN tnaL white corn is
not the most profitable variety for them ia
raise; but to the farmer who has gOOOd cribs
anu bains, AMI can take care Oi 1t after Ii -
hrsked, il Will prove profitable yalleiy. II
makes much better meal than yellow, being
mllder favored, and stock will eat it with
greater avidity.
1t were gong to plant fifty acres, should
plant thirty of 1t with yellow, and twenty with
white. If the season should prove to be wet
one, the yellow would be the more profitable
Should il be dry as this season has been, the
white would return the greater yield, both Ill
bulk aid weight | tiiiLh that ii iarlnc. :
would plant both varieties in about the above
proportions they would in series of years be
the gamers by 1t. The white corn should be
plated iael and hUsked first, ami sod at once,
orput into dry well.ventlated cribs. White
corn generally weighs heavier than any yellow
Immediately after being nuskeu, but after ly
ing IN dry cribs three or four months there is
htlle If any Observation-Disclosures
The COMING FENCE.-The Farm Journal
gives in a few words It's opinions concernIhl
the fences of no distant future. II says
"1st, the fencing material of the era now dawn.
ing will consist more largely of iron than here
toiore but, I'd, iron posts will not be used un.
less there is great fall IN the price of iron, u