The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-28

The. .Caltara II .Cara. ~-..--.-....4
We are eradpally Learning moro
abOuf the posi- bilities oftko corn crop.
Wa.Ate Learning that vitA Sufficient fer
tilizing and good culture we can easily
reach from sixty to one hundl ed BUSH
els of grain per acre in place of the
twenty-five to fifty which were former
" the usual yield.ssaWeare also discor,'
sripg that there s more il the seareanl
cultivation of this crop than we had
supposed. Formerly Western farmers
used to boast that their rich soil was
able to grow bothsc6rf and weeds, and
it was often the CASE ut harvest time
that the corn was almost. hidden from
sight BY weeds which all but overt0pped
IT. Still corn produced o fair yield, but
how much more it would have produced
had the weeds been kept down BY cul-
tivation we can only guess. 1T is now
that We are learning Something of this.
The last census reports enlighten us in
this respect. From these we;learn that
the Wanted superiority of the West is
disappearing. That the average yield
of corn in the Eastern States now slight
" surpasses that of the West: While the
former has been slowly increasing, that
of the latter has been gradually decreas-
ing, until now it is inferior: The rea-
son of this is not that the Western soil
is poorer than the Eastern; it is simply
weeds. Tho Eastern soil" is better cul-
tivated. 1t is in this respect something
like the better thrift of the owners of
the sterile mountain countries or the
colder climates, where poverty of soil
forces to more productive industry. as
compared with the sunny climates and
rich soils of the South, where exuber-
ance of vegetation induces carelessness
and Improbable contentment. 1t is all
in cultivation, for no soil, however rich,
will produce q full crop. of corn and
full crop of weeds, and the Western
farmer simply throws away his grand
opportunities. 1t may be that the low
value of the corn may not pay Tor the
requisite labor, which is scarce and
dear, but it cannot always be true,
even should it be so now, which we
must doubt, that this labor well applied
cannot be made profitable. This is q
matter which concerns the Western as
much as the Eastern farmer, for when
| the latter finds that he can grow corn
more cheaply by better methods; OF
cultivation than he can buy Western
corn, considerable outlet for that
product will be closed. The first cul-
tivation may be given before the seed
is above the surface with the cultivat-
ing harrow. This destroys the young
weeds when in the germ, and before
they have taken hold of the soil. If
the soil has been plowed week or two
before the planting, final cleaning
may be given with this harrow imme-
diately before the planting with great
benefit. After the corn is up and has
taken root the harrow may be- used
again without injury to the plants, and
if a few are torn up it will save after
+ labor Of thinning the stand,: if that
should be needed by reason of too lib
eral use of seed. Up to the time that
the. corn is q foot high this narrowing
may be given at sufficient intervals,
leaving it then in excellent condition
both as to vigor of growth and free
/ dom from weeds. After this the use of
any one of the excellent horse-hoes
that are on the market. or q good, COM
mon shovel-toothed cultivator, will
keep the crop clean until it is laid by
and shades the ground SO as to keep
down the weeds Chat may start after
that
The pillow should be abandoned a. a
corn cultivator. It does not cover as
much surface as the horseshoe, and al
though it may not be injurious on some
soils and under some circumstances,
vet otherwise it may do serious harm to
the crop. Shallow cultivation is always
| beneficial to corn; deep cultivation may
be sometimes. With the one there is
no risk under any circumstances; with
the other there is much risk. Level
cultivation leaves the surface in the
best condition after the crotand one
may seed down to grass or clover with
this crop, if it is thought desirable, I'M
der level cultivation. Killing of the
plants cannot save them from being
| laid by a severe storm, for the small
support thus given is nothing as com.
pared with the force of the wind on the
brood leaves. But the hills may, and
do, prevent the crop from raising itseli
again, for the soft soil is washed down
upon the roots, and serves to wedge the
stalks down so that they cannot re-
cover. With drill-planting the CROP
may be largely increased. The
lowest ascertained increase of yield
| is twenty-five per cent. of grain and
fodder: Considerably more than this
/ has been gained BY planting sixteen
| inches apart in drills three feet apart
This is precisely double the seed plant
ed at three. feet apart each way. Fol
! the small Eastern corn this close plant,
ing is sufficiently roomy, and the ears
viii mature as we'll as at three feet
APART. There will be $3.50 hills to the
aore, and with but one good ear to the
hill tkers will be seventy to ninety
bushels of corn to the acre, and with
but five pounds of green fodder to each
/ Hill, the crop will reach to twenty-fou1
tons per acrss This growth can be
easily forced with moderate fertilizine
and thorough cultivation. 1t has been
done in many cases, and may be done
| always If the right means are used. II
4aAiay notAssStlsc for farmer who has
been used to the old-fashioned system
/ to risk his whole. crop by suddenly
changing his methods. But it is wise te
/ try the experiment, because success
offers reward much larger than any
loss or damage that may occur from 8