Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-06-03
farmer Gnlumrt.
SPEED THE PL0W."
Prolific Corn.


new varieties of field corn which are
claimed to be superior to all that have
preceded them. Chief among these
prolific kinds IS Blunt's Tennessee
White, which is no doubt all that's
claimed for it. 1t will produce over
hundred bushels to an acre OF land,
and has BEEN known to yield much
more. It bears as many as from three
to seven ears to the stalk, and must
certainly, on that account, be more
prolific than any other. But why do
farmers fail to realize what they ex-
pect from it, on trial? 1t is not BE-
cause the corn will not produce heav-
lily, for every stalk of it that grows
shows that it is willing to reward the
grower with all that he desires. The
fault is that most farmers, while viii
ling and anxious to improve their seed
corn, do not pay proper regard to the
conditions necessary for securing the
results sought after.
Ofthe many varieties of corn known
to us we are all familiar with the fact
of at least two divisions-white and
yellow. The yellow is rich in carbon,
or rather oil, while the white FREEDOM
mates in starch. The fertilizer re-
ouired for the one kind does not ex-
actly suit the other, though the soil
that produces the yellow will also ma
ture the white. The transfer of the
seed of one kind to distant locallt,
is lust as unna nral lis the tnrnlne Of
= short Gale OK v CT Ha> ivslon biGe
.tass into d Soauly, neaooN II VA
not thrive, and additional feeding 8
necessary. Cur methods OF euitivat-
ing corn are somen al HE honore ],
slt4e ot,, lem N.is-1 lt.as atc"
oist L he. ao'.s .s-otie,sf Ia t',t-i' VI
..nt dlaie sscuol :. Certain quaint.
ties of manure, particular periods OF
cultivation and liked un.,s of harvest
ing are rigldly adhered to; and, While
improvement is carefully applied to
selecting of seed, the usual habits OF
planting and working are not broken.
All the prolific varieties OF corn can
be put in the ground as soon as posi-
BILE after danger offrost is over, as they
need as much growing time as possible
requiring the whole season to mature,
on account of the superintendent yield
expected. They will grow at first very
luxuriantly, givinga large yield Of fod-
der, and throwing .out from three to
seven ears, as stated. Such ears VIII
proceed and do we'll until filing time
aud then it is seen that, while there
are plenty Of eais, nothing but null
bins will be the result.
Corn is very gross feeder. lis roots
penetrate in every direction, along the
surface, through the lower soil, and
dewnward directly to the subsoil.-
Perfect networks of roots and rootlets
are woven into every inch OF soil, and
greedily does the plant take mp every
thing that will serve to act as its food.
The simple matter of forming the
cob alone requires an amount ofpotash
not easily procured in some soils
Even the sand is compelled to assist
it, as silica is ole of its chief constit-
uer,s. This is seen in the sharp-glaz-
ed edges of the leaf or blade, which
often cuts one like knife, and is, in
fact, glass in certain shape. This,
when the fodder is afterward rotted
for mannue, is soluble silica for the
succeeding crop.
While the great requirements of our
ordinary corn are known to us, on
changing it for some of the prolifics
we should provide for sustaining the
corn in its great Struggle of ''flling
up three or more ears instead of one !;
and this should not only be done by
extra manuring at the beginning but
an additional s.feed" should be added
just before the ears 'ssilk." Too much
fertilizer cannot be applied, for corn
is a plant that is seldom injured by
overmanuring. Another fact is that
certain varieties of corn suit particu-
lar soils, and no prolific corn or any
other kind will do we'll in some Sec
tons until after acclimated, which
may requireseveral seasons. In Della
ware they have, in one portion of the
State, a corn especially adapted to
that region, and while other varieties
introduced there, and grown by its
SIDE, often produce more, the cold
standard" gets over droughts, bad
cultivation and other drawbacks far
better than its rivals; and yet this
Delaware corn might not suit at all
in this State. Perhaps no new seed
corn will stand the change from one
section to another and do very well at
the start; still it is certain that We get
splendid results by changing seed.
Recent experiments, however, have
demonstrated that instead Of changing
seed entirely, crossing the seed is bet
ter, which is done by planting it.by
the side of the old variety.