Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1882-06-08
3agm aaS 6oassbcIS.
Raising Corn.

The BassdrAgsetts PiaHgbmaH discusses
the question Of corn raising in tina; state,
and as the well considered ,ies, presented
are almost equally applicable TO Maine, Ne
copy from the article a, follows.
Notwithstanding the aimo,; positive Ger
ia.njy Of a good crop, a very large portion
Of the farmers Of this state buy more corn
than they raise. The amount consumed in
the state !. probably twenty bushels 10 one
that J., grown If corn, like wheat. cN-
hau,teI certain elements in the .oi, 50
tia, It would not continue 70 produce good
crops, il would not be so desirable for
farmers 10 continue it, cultivation, and
they would no; be expected to but there is
no crop We grow that vii continue wear
after wear, to produce, on the same land. |
good crops better, If a. well a. Izdian
corn. Il O., said iha, there j. a piece Of
land in eastern Massachusetts,. Lear the /
seasaorc. tina, vas planted one hundred +
wears IN succession With Indian corn, and (
fhl, j; produced larger crops ID, .a,, few /.
wears than It did The tr,t,
Every farmer who la, Lad any e,peri-
enoe in the business vel knows TIA; /
moderate application Of manure Vii keep /
the land up 80 As 20 produce good crops OF 4
tins gram year after year. Five cords Of |
good stable manure 20 the acre viii produce /
from fifty 10 sixty bushels Of corn and a /
ts-5.l -.
still leave the land in as good condition a.
before the manure Vas applied and the 1
crop, taken of. In fac; farmer, fit, Years
ago improved their pastures BY p.ough.ug |
them up and planting corn, to be followed .
with winter rye, applying manure only 10
the corn and rarely more Than Eve cords ;o
the acre. Of manure tina; was Of much
poorer quality than tie manure Of the
prescn, day, Ne, !; very much improved the
condition of the pa>'ure. notwithstanding
no grass seed WAS soWH. With our i'm
proved implements. and methods Of cuit,a-
ton. We can undoubtedly DO better than
our fathers did
Il fifty bushels Of corn aud twenty bush
els OF rye can be obtained from FIVE cords
Of manure. without impo,erishing the land.
then there mus, be profit IN growing
these crops for the straw and the corn
fodder will more than pay the labor Of
ploughing, cultiyating. and harvesting the
crops Those who keep mich cows prize
cou-fodder very high, some holding j, to be
equal 10 English hay. Others that il is worth
two thirds as much. The method Of har-
yestIng undoubtedl, makes a great differ
ence IN IT. value. If the corn IL cut UP
and stocked in the field, as soon as it is
glazed the fodder is undoubtedly better
than if il is topped and the butts, with the
corn, is permitted to stand in the field until
the corn is thoroughly riPe, and the heavy
frosis have killed all Of the leaves. BY
the latter method, the tops if vel cured
are quite good / not better than those
left on and cut up with the corn, but the
butts become weather beaten and many Of
them dirty, by laying on the ground, so that
their value becomes very much diminished.
Farmers in diferen, localities differ as 10
which method is the best. Those who cut
the corn up and stock il insist that the foG-
der is much better. and that the corn IS
quite as good, while those who top their
corn contend that the corn ripens better and
is more sound than If cut up with the top
stalks on them, and that the tops Of the
stalks are enough better to make up for
the loss on the butts. We have noticed
that the advocates Of cutting and stalking
the corn, most Of them, live back from the
sea shore, while most Of those who live
near the ocean top their corn. May not the
difference in the climate require a different
treatment The corn on the seashore does
not grow as quick as il does III the interior.
and il does not ripen as rapidly. The frosts
hold off late in the autumn, and the air IS
filed with moisture. Corn that is cut up
and stocked is more likely to mould in the
stock than it is in the interior away from
the sea breezes. In consequence of this diff
ference between the seashore and the inte-
nor, in the moisture Of the air and the cool
ness of the nights, the methods that are
best for one section are not always best for
the other, so farmers, in making changes,
should always be careful to take into con-
sideration all Of the surrounding circum-
stances Because the farmers of the West
husk the corn in the field and leave the fod-
der to decay, it is no proof that it is best for
our eastern farmers TO do so. Every loca-
ton has its peeuiarities, and every farm
must be managed with reference TO them.
Ii is the custom for most of farmers to
save their seed corn at the time of husking ::
but this is not the best practice; a better
way is to select il in the field before il is
fully ripe, and mark it with a red string.
In this way late ears can be avoided. A
still better way is to have a small field away
from any other corn, especially for seed.
When the spindle begins to appear. all Of
the weak and undesirable stalks should be
cut out, leaving to grow only the strongest
and the best If the best ears are selected
from field thus treated, the chances are
that in few years an improved variety
would be obtained. Twin ears should be
avoided. Experience has proved that it is
best to select where the stalk is not large,
aud where only one good-sized perfect ear
grows.
Farmers cannot be too careful in the Sc
lection of any seed. II should ever be then