The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-08-24
Increasing the Corn CrOD.

I'LL within the past few years little
anxiety has been felt in any part of the
! country about the supply Of corn. There
was general Impression that it could
oe raised with considerable profit in
IN nearly every State and territory. In
mc't OF the States enough was raised to
supply the local demand. In some
states 1t was leading crop, and it was
tnat Its profitable production could be
greatly extended in others, where the
attcntlon OF farmers was mainly devoted
TO the growing of cotton, tobacco, and
inc small grains. There was scarcely
any demand for 1T for expectation, and
itS employment for making glucose and
starch was not known. 1t was used to
q considerable extent as food for human
| oG'hgs' and was ycry generally employ
ed Tor tattening hogs in sections where
IL was extensively grown. Itwas rarely
ied TO other horses than those engaged
IN work on the farm, and was still more
rarely fed to COWS. There was na fresh
| beet or mutton sent abroad, and there
was only Il limited demand for hiohly
tattened meat at home AS d consc
quencc, shoep and steers were gcner
ally tatteued on grass, with the aid of q
few roots. In most of the Western States
corn was drug in the markets. With
poor facilities for transportation, COM
paratively little Of it was sent to Eas
tern cities. Corn was often SO cheap
and plenty that it was burned for fuel.
tarmers preferred to raise small grains
tor the market, for the reasons that
their price was higher and they would
stand transportation better, In parts
OF the country where corn was very pro-
ductlve it was generally thought that
the business of raising it was greatly
overdone.
A short time has been sufficient to
produce great changes in relation to
corn. Its uses have multiplied and
increased, it is now employed to max
starch and glucose, as we'll us to make
alcohol, whisky, highwines and vinegar
Considerable quantities Of it are Con-
Verted into malt. In all the great dairy
districts it is extensively emploved for
feeding milch cows. There is a grow
ing demand for fancy fattened beef and
mutton for export and home eonsump-
ton. 10 fatten steers and sheep as The
market requires it is found necessary to
iced corn in large quantities. Vast
quantities OF it are now sent to almost
every country in Europe this side of
hussla tor the same purpose. American
corn !s used TO feed both beef and dairy
cattle IN Denmark. 1t is also used to
iced the coach and dray horses in most
or the large cities in Great Britain and
france. Now, while the uses for corn
nave increased and multiplied in q most
remarkable manner, its cultivation has
not extended in any considerable extent
into any new sections of the country.
and has not greatly increased in foreiGn
countries. The entire country from
Puget Sound to the Gulf of California is
opened up to settlement, but no corn is
raised except in very few favored
localities. Dakota and Montana are
fast being peopled with farmers, vet
scarcely any corn is or can be produced
there. Few Of what are called the new
States and Territories produce much
corn. They are deficient in warmth or
moisture, or in both. Corn was never
profitable crop to raise in the Southern
States, and as the soil becomes
exhausted of its fertility its production
becomes still more difficult. People
have finally become convinced that the
extent of country adapted to the
profitable production of corn is ouite
limited. 1t is embraced in O. strip of
country about two hundred miles wide.
and terminating about o hundred miles
west of the Missouri River.
If the amount of corn in the country
is to be largely increased it must be done
by improved methods of cultivation in
the places where it succeeds best. Much
OF the land in the Western States that is
capable OF producing the largest crops
OF corn IS in no condition to do so dur
ing seasons as wet as the present one.
LII IS covered v It'll water in the earlv
spring, and can not be plowed till it is
too late to plant without incurring the
danger of an early frost in the fall. Bv
draining it with tiles it can be made to
produce more corn than any land in the
country. 1t is naturally rich in mineral
ana organic matter, and its only defect
IS us inability to part with the moisture
ChaE accumnlates during the winter and
e"fly spring. The drains will not only
carry Off this water, but will extend the
growing season several weeks. Experi-
HiehCS made in the counties of this State
snow that the average yield of corn is
increased one-tourtn by putting down
grain-tile. The cultivation of the crop
- D; also rendered more easy and the or
ulnary rlsks are avoided in q great
measure. Improved methods of pre-
parlng the soil, of putting in the seed,
ana ana OF cultivating the growing crop
Will 40 much toward increasing
production. Generally the farmers of
pennsylvania, and others of the Eastern
States produce more corn to the acre
than the farmers do in the most fertile
Oh the Western States. They have q
much poorer soil, but they prepare it
better, pay more attention TO manurng,
and employ the hand-hoe in connection
with the horse -cultivator in working the
ields. It is not only possible but prac-
5ical to produce eighty bushels of corn
10 the acre on much OF the land in the
West where only forty is ordinarily har-
vested. ChicG0O Times.
Mrs. EMMA p. EWING, an authority
on culinary science, says that bad cook.