Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-02-02
Beans and Corn.


Beans and Corn.
E. A. B., writing from Cap st. Michel,
Quebec, asks Where can get the best
seed of field corn for our province? What
variety do you recommend What should
it cost per quartz You recommended last
year variety of beans for orchard culture
Please describe them and give the selling
price. An answer in the VERMONT WATCH.
MAN will oblige."
and lower Canada is unquestionably the
small eght-rowed variety, which sometimes
goes by the name of Canada eight-rowed
corn" The season, except near Lake Cham
plain, does not admit of the regular and
perfect ripening Of any variety of this cereal,
that requires more than three months, or
one hundred days, for its growth and ma
turity. This variety of corn, though with
small ears, produces as good crops as any Of
the larger sorts, making up for lack of size
by the number of the ears. 1t is more costly
to grow only because there are more ears to
husk and shell to make the same measure of
grain. The productiveness of any variety
Of corn, as well as its earliness and other
qualities, vary considerably according TO the
care exercised, through longer or shorter
time, in the selection Of the seed. The old
est and most thoroughbred sub-variety of
the Canada eight-rowed corn with which we
are acquainted is the one we had some seven
or eight years ago from A. M. Foster of
Cabot who procured it from the farm of
Judge Pearce of Calais, where it had been
grown continuously since the " cold year" of
1916. Great care had, in all that time, been
exercised in its selection. 1t had been well
cultivated, but not over-manured, and its
characteristics had become very thoroughly
fixed, so that often in whole crop one ear
with more than eight rows could not be
found. 1t is prolific corn, with a very uni
form tendency to produce two full ears to
the stalk. Since we obtained it it has prob
ably had rather higher manuring than for
merly, with the result of lengthening the
ears from seven or eight inches to nine or
ten inches. Our largest crop has been at
the rate of ninety-two bushels of dry shelled
corn to the acre, and the average not less
than seventy-fve bushels. When we got it,
it ran about three hundred ears to the shelled
bushel. Now it requires not more that two
hundred and fifty. The cob is small, the
kernel rather large for the variety, and it
dries out very quickly, so that we have al.
ways had it in perfect order for grinding by
the first of November. The color is uni.
form, medium yellow, and it makes very
handsome meal. Seed corn of choice vari
cites usually sells in Vermont, we believe
at about one dollar per peck, or three dollars
per bushel. At this price only perfect ears
are used and the tips are removed.
The variety of bean to which f A. B. re-
fers was probably the Improved Yellow Eye
which has now almost entirely replaced in
market the old Yellow Eye. This improved
variety is much rounder and whittier than its
predecessor. 1t originated in Maine, and il
grown in that state extensively, both fol
sale to the lumber camps and for shipment
to the Boston market 1t formerly sold a
about fifty cents bushel higher than tn,
old Yellow Eye, but has become SO common
that it is now quoted at twelve to fifteer
cents higher. The fact is that the old vari
ETY. is now nearly out of the market. Th
latest Boston quotations are S2.l2 to 80 9,
for the Improved Yellow Eye. This variet,
is very early, ripens with perfect uniformity
does not vine, rust, or spot, and does no
split easily under the fail. 1t is also yer,
productive on good land