Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-11-17
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Corn Raising in Maine.

A marked change in regard to corn rals-
ing has occurred in Maine during the past
six wears Six years ago many farmers were
saving that il did not pay to raise corn IN
Maine, when Western corn could be brought
in and sold for seventy five cents per busheI.
1t was the general opinion that i; cost from
one dollar 10 one dollar and quarter per
bushe! to raise 1t in Maine Farmers &C
cordingly. bough, large quantities OF West
ern corn. instead Of raising il on the farm.
But the hard times Of 1873, and subsequent
w. bore so heavily upon the farmers that II
was not easy TO obtain the money with
which TO buy Western corn, and 50 they SCI
their wits to work to Try to raise corn al a
less cost.
Commercial fertilizers were used, IN add
ton TO the barn manures, to give the corn
an early start horse cultivs tion was made
10 take the place Of hand hoeing, to CON
siderable extent, and the land was more
heavily dressed, s. 10 secure as large
Weld on one acre as had formerly been Oh
tanned on two acres. In this way the cost
Of production has been so much reduced
that farmers are saying thar It is cheaper 10
raise corn than TO buy Western corn. even
at hfty cents per bushel. Consequently,
corn raising has greatly increased some
very large crops have been raised and II l.
generally regarded a. one Of the cheapest
and best crops raised on the farm.
In 1879 Mr.. 4 \. Thurlo~ Of Portland,
raised l0l bushels Of sheiisd corn on an
acre. The corn was all kept until Jan !.
1850. when it Va. all weighed, 600 pound,
OF average ears shelled, and the whole crop
calculated therefrom. Ihis vas an authentic
crop. veil sttr.ied, and which received the
$50 corn premium offered BY the Lewiston
Journal Other crops large, or larger,
have been reported, but the corn wa not 80
thoroughly dried as in that case. b. +
Maxim Of WAYNE, in 1880, took the first
premium in kennebec county, for the best
acre Of corn: liz raised III bushels on one
acre. The corn Was shelied and weighed
Nov. IA. The corn would shrink consld-
cradle after that date, but allowing for
shrinksge, il must be admitted TO he yer,
large crop.
There has been lively interest in Maine
among the boys. Sullman b. Alien Of Bos-
ton, offered $500 in premiums for the largest
;ields Of corn raised by boys under eighteen
wears Of age sI hundred boys competed
for these prizes, and some remarkably large
crops ven raised The corn was weighed
within tseRiy -four hours after il was husk-
ed, and seventy 1--WE pounds Of ears allowed
for one bushel of shelled corn. According
10 thu. method Of estimating the weld, more
than four-bfih. Of the four hundred and
thirteen boys sbo reported their crops, rals-
ed more than one hundred bushels per aSEe
about oBe.fourth Of them raised at the rate
Of one hundred and fifty bushels per acre !;
several at the rate Of two hundred bushels,
and one at the rate of two hundred and
forty bushels. F. F.. Small Of Stockton,
took the first prize Of $500. Even some Of
the girls caught the enthusiasm Of corn rais-
ing. and Miss Ada J. Mills Of West Bethe!
va. awarded special prize for her enter
prise in raising corn.
Thus, il will be seen, there is lively
interest in corn raising in Maine, and the
future is very promising. 1t would not be
surprising if Maine should produce all the
corn used by her people within ten year,,
Corr. Ger England Farmer.