Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-02-14

available crops for this purpose, and wher,
pastures were not the best it was impera
tive, as it not only allowed the farmer tc
keep more cows, but improved his pastures
very rapidly, as bis cows went on to them
full in the morn and fertilized them.
Selection of seeds was of great value
Only the bost and most perfect should be
sown. The seed contained within itsel
all the elements necessary for its early
growth, and hence the perfect seed was
the seed to give the perfect plant. There
was more in this than many supposed.
The best means of fertilization was o
the greatest importance to the farmer, and
it had become almost settled that nitrogen
was not needed as much as many had
supposed, and the recent report of the
agricultural department at Washington
had confirmed his previous teachings that
a large amount of soluble phosphorc acid
was not needed, and they admitted also
that the reverted was considered by many
of equal if not greater value than the
soluble. Hence science was coming to
substantiate the experiments he had talked
about.
1t was always safe to trust the plant
for it did not theorize which some chemists
did.
He then represented the advantage oi
testing milk, that cows might be herded
in uniformity with the sizs of the cream
globule and the best results obtained. lie
urged the use of plaster (sulphlte of lme)
and Of the testing before purchase as
previously recommended.
This lecture was well received, and such
lectures are what farmers truly need, as
they profit by them largely rs has been
proved in this place.
Adjourned until 2P. NJ.
AT p. NJ. the audience VS. addressed
by M. w. Davis, member of the board
from Westminster, upon the Cultivation
of Indian corn
He said the probable amount purchased
by farmers in Vermont according to the
statistics given him by the railroads was
about 3 100000 bushels, yet a majority of
it could be easily raised here. 1t was a
native Of this country. now growing wild
| in the Rocky mountains. This is no new
plant. Two hundred and siXty.two years
ago "Columbus" found the Indians cult.
vating it, hence its name, and who knows
what might have been the destiny of
America if it had not been for this plant,
as it was the main sustenance of those
pilgrims through that cold winter. obtained
from the natives. But great changes have
been wrought in its cultivation, being so
flexible, capable of being bred in almost
any direction and to meet any deality
There are very many varieties all spring
ing from the same one variety. have
had long experience in its cultivation,
yet know but comparatively little l
he' e show to you by these paintings, true
to nature from the seed or kernel to the
ripe corn, and can say it is the most
beautiful crop my eyes ever beheld. The
corn field says one resembles an army of
tasseled knights decorated gracefully with
ribbons, each member of which sports n
silk handkerchief"
No crop can compete with it, though
wheat is of more value; rice feeds MOI
people, yet corn is devoted to the greatest
use, and if l could induce these farmers,
and all the farmers in the state, to raise
one acre more. each, of fifty bushels to the
acre, shall have done mission work
that will repay me a thousand fold and
saved to Vermont tens of thousands of
dollars which they pay as tribute to the
"Great West" sapping the life blood from
their hard earned labor. Not only should
it be raised as grain crop, but as a forage
crop-such as for corn fodder soling,
and ensilage
The possibilities ofthis crop seem almost
incredible. One hundred bushels to the
acre would have been questioned few
years ago, but now we have from the farm
of the editor of the Rnral Me,0 Yorkcr, on
Long Island, yield of 1l3 69-lOO bushels
per acre for four acres; G. f. Bowditch of
birmingham, Mass. II l-2 ac1es aver.
aging 100 3-4 bushels. One of the prize
boys, in Manchester, VT, raised at the
rate of l27 bushels, but | am not expecting
you will do this; but raise 50 bushels of
good sound corn. and if for soilng or
ensilage 20 to 25 tons of the green fodder
to the acre.
Now to be successful in corn raising
put it upon corn ground and it can be kept
there for years if desired and it is expedi-
ent if large portion of the farm is
adapted to grass; requiring but little
fertilization and the kind and amount can
be positively ascertained by plot expert
ment upon the land. A clover sod is
admirably adapted to a corn crop. The
soil should be nicely plowed. either in fall
vi pll uo 10 OCot ouileN W lllc SllutllOu
and texture of the soil. So in applying
green manure, whether on the surface or
turned under. When plowed, the soil
should be finely worked with Randall
disc wheel harrow" then smoothed with
the Thomas harrow" or something like
it; then plant, with horse planter, either
in hills some twenty inches apart or in
drills, two or three kernels to the foot,
rows forty inches apart. Here the speaker
showed the advantage in drill planting in
getting more perfect impregnaton by
the more profuse diffusion of the DC lien |
upon the pistiles, and by the shading of
the ground keeping it moist and cool.
By planting with machine in perfectly |
straight rows. corn can be cultivated much |
closer, as almost all the entire cultivation |
should be done by machinery, and the |
prime object is to do most of the hoeing
before planting, making the soil a perfect |
seed bed, and then when the corn has |
rooted and until some three or four inches |
high can be narrowed in any and all |
directions with Thomas smoothing |
harrow" the teeth of which are inclined |
backward Mt an angle of about 45 degrees. |
so that it effects no injury to the corn but |
stirs the soil and kills the little weeds |
then use the cultivator as long as you can |
drive horse through it.
Now by the selection OF the proper seed, |
soil, and kind of labor applied, can raise |
corn for 40 cents, or less, bushel. Gen.
tlemen farmers, awake to this important |
crop, and see if you cannot raise more and |
buy less.
This was very interesting lecture, and |
a discussion followed of very interesting
character, many farmers resolving to raise
more corn.
Adjourned until evening.
EVENING.
At 1880, L. D. Ramlin, president of the
farmers club, called the meeting to order
and introduced DR.. Hiram A. Cutting,
who gave an address upon Atmospheric
j, henomena." He spoke of our atmos.
phere; its necessity to man, giving,
through the oxygen it contained, b. th
animal heat and life; also, that its very
pressure upon our bodies was necessary to
our existence; that if it was. removed at
once the blood wou1d start from tho norou