Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-24
Big Crops Of Corn.


temptible than the petty jealousy that ex-
lists amongst editors. Amongst political ed
itors the way in which they "run politics,
and the chasm that exists between the pc.
litical ideas of most of them and anything
approaching genuine patriotism or states
manship, demonstrates the urgent need of
the proposed "school Of journalism" But
that in the liberal profession of agriculture
and its journalism mean and petty jeal-
ousy should prevent the acknowledgment
and praise of merit, is simply disgusting.
The reason, we hope is that most Of the
conductors Of agricultural papers are not
farmers, and have no real part in or sym
pathy with the soulenlarging pursuit of ag-
riculture.
The editor Of the Rural New Yorker is a
farmer and horticulturist. We have seen
his farm, walked about it with him and
talked with him, and know that he under
stands the practical side of his business bet
ter than most farmers. He has the past
season demonstrated this in various ways,
but especially by accomplishing the feat of
raising, upon different fields, crops Of 26l
bushel baskets of "Blount's Dent " and of
nearly 800 bushel baskets of "Chester
County Mammoth ears Of corn to the
acre. We have yet to see this noticed in
any other agricultural paper on our ex-
change list.
These results astonish our friend Car
man as much as anybody. He did not ex-
pect it, or believe it, until convinced by the
actual husking and measuring of the corn.
The preparation of the land was not with
the view Of an excessive crop. This is the
memorandum of one plot made by com.
mittee consisting of Robert j. Dodge, presi-
dent of the American Institute Farmers
Club, w. N. Habbershaw, chemist to the
New York State Agricultural Society, and
L. c. Benedict, agricultural editor of the
New York World: Report on field of
corn at Hewlett's, Long Island, belonging to
the Rural NeD Yorker, made October 18th,
$780, Size Of plot, 80 feet by 1924, or 81
of an acre of corn Blount's Dent'-sown
by machine in rows four feet three inches
apart, and each single kernel intended to be
fifteen inches from its neighbors. Flat cul.
ture, with, as we understand, 300 pounds of
Mapes' special corn fertilizer narrowed in
broadcast before planting, 100 pounds of the
same when the corn was six inches high, and
100 pounds of potato special when about
eighteen inches high. From judicious selec-
ton of stocks and careful measurement and
weighing, we find the total yield was 227
bushel baskets of corn on the cob, or POI
bushels upon an acre. We also shelled and
weighed quantity and ascertained the
gross weight of three and seven-eighths bas-
kets to be 1876 pounds, or 35.1 to one bushel,
and further that 50 pounds of corn in the
ear gave 2S.95 pounds of grains and Cos of
cob, and measured III quarts. This calcu-
lation showed that the equivalent of 26l
bushels OF corn on the cob was 1894 bushels
OF grains, and about three bushels or little
more which Mr.. Carman had selected from
the most prolific stalks, and had already
placed in the barn, or grand total of about
142 bushels of shelled corn per acre."
Of the other field the Rural says: "Mr. |
(of the firm of James NJ. Thor
burn Coz was one of those who few
days previously to the above investigation
estimated the yield of the Chester County
Mammoth. His estimate was based upon
the yield of stocks in the west portion of
the field, and, as we have since ascertained,
that part of the field yields most heavily.
The following is his certificate
This is to certify that three stocks of the Ches-
ter County Mammoth, which | selected as of
average size, were husked and measured in my |
presence, and that at the same rate per acre the
yield would be at least three hundred bushels of
perfect ears f. w. BRUGGERHoF."
Corn will shrink fully twenty-five per
cent in drying, and the large cared varieties
probably more, but there can be no doubt
Mr.. Carman has in both these cases sue.
ceeded in well passing what has so far been
an unpassable line for us,-the line of one
hundred bushels of dry shelled corn on one
acre. The past season has, however, been
an extra good one for corn, and we feel like
saying TO our Rural friend what the boy
said to his mate who fell off the barn with
out hurting HIMSELF you can't do that
sixteen times running"
Blount's Dent corn is variety with null
tiple ears, not as large as the ears of the or
binary Dent varieties, but more numerous.
We have never seen description of the
Chester County Mammoth corn, but most
large-eared kinds do not have more than one
full ear to the stalk. When we consider the
extra labor in husking we should prefer one
or two large ears to numerous small ears
But in northern Vermont, where we must
have small sort to have it early enough to
ripen, we must have, for a large crop,
many-eared sort. At least, so it seems,
though we are trying to increase the size of
the ears on our Pedigree corn" without in
jury to its earliness, and to some extent we
have already succeeded. A very fine, large
and long-eared corn was shown at our
state fair this year by Van Sicklen and
Brigham of Burlington. No information in
regard to it could be obtained at the fair,
and note written by us to the growers re-
mains unanswered. If any reader knows
anything about this large-eared yellow corn,
we should be glad to have him tell us.