Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-02-04
AGRICULTURAL.
CORN IN NEW ENGLAND.


1t has gradually come to be the settled
opinion among many New England far
mers that corn is very improbable
crop to raise, because the West, with its
great corn fields and immense advan-
tages can raise, ship East and put its
! corn crop in the market at price much
less than the New England farmer can
afford to sell his. But latterly a doubt
has arisen in the minds of number Of
agricuituralistsi if this so-called establish
ed fact" is SO well established after
all, and they have been making expert
ments to satisfy themselves regarding the
truth of the assertion.
This was demonstrated al n recent
meeting of the Massachusetts Agricul-
tural Society, at which several gentle
men gave the results of their labors,
which proved conclusively that not only
is New England able to compete with the
ticle in the market which will oftentimes
bring better price than the Western.
One gentleman's statement was that his
crop yielded him 164 bushels per acre, or
| about so bushels of shelled corn. The
most encouraging feature of the expert
ment was that this corn cost fraction
less than 90 cents per bushel. II should
be stated, however, that he allowed more
value, (SS per tom for his corn stalks
than most farmers are willing to ac-
knowledge them to he worth, but, rightly
manipulated, they ought to be worth all
he estimates them at. Another gentle
mans statement showed still greater
yield The experiments established the
fact that corn could be grown in New
nois, and almost as cheap.
With the change of times and circum-
stances We are aware there must be some
change of crops, but corn is SO easily
raised, is SO handy to have around, and
its cultivation leaves the land in such
good shape for the smaller English grains,
that We hope the day is far distant when
it will not occupy prominent place on
New England farms.
In order to attain this desirable end We are
satisfied there must be some improve
ment in the modes of culture. On most
farms we notice that corn is still cultiva-
ted by man-power. 1t may not be posi-
BILE to dispense entirely with the hand
hoe, but the main culture must be done
by horse power, if we wish to reduce the |
cost TO twenty cents per bushel, or even to |
twice this price. As most corn is now /
cultivated it must cost at least fifty cents.
By the aid of cultivators the expense can |
be reduced one.third, If not ene-half. |
horse can be hired for half the price of
man, and will do three tinrns as much
work, some of it with much betterresults
than by hand power. A horseshoe pul-
verizes the soil far more effectually than |
does hand-hoe, and in the cultivation
of corn pulverization goes great ways. |
1t lets In the air, and with the air comes
moisture and fertilization. There is no
better safeguard against drouth than to
run the cultivator often through the land.
The old notion that stirring soil in dry
time made it dryer was the conclusion Of
a surface observation. Well pulverized
land absorbs moisture from the air, and
also draws it from beneath on the princi-
pie Of capillary attraction. After every
shower the cultivator should be run be-
tween the rows of corn to break the crust
which forms on the surface, and impedes
the free circulation of air.
In the cultivation of corn, too much
stress cannot be laid on the importance
of using mono but thoroughbred seed,
by this term seed that has been
selected for succession of years from
stalks that bore three or more ears, each
perfect in form and maturing early The
principle Of heredity rules in the vegeta-
BILE kingdom as surely as in the animal,
and he is wise farmer who has regard
to it in the selection q his seed-corn and
all other seeds. 1t is not enough that a
perfect ear should be selected, as msny
farmers suppose. This perfect ear should
be descended from generations of perfect
and prolific ears, in order to make it 50
far thoroughbred that it will transmit its
with reasonable degree
of certainty. If We can secure seed corn
of this description We can rely upon add
ing 25 per cent. to our crop, other things
being equal1O The selection of seed corn
should be made each year in the field be-
fore the crop is harvested, taking the
ears that mature first, are full and heavy.
and from stalks that are most prolific. 1t
is from the use of thoroughbred seed,
more than from any other cause, that the
corn crop Of New England has been SO
much improved.