Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-05-03
The farm and fireside.
GROWTH OF CORN.

AS it will soon be the season for planting
corn, few observations respecting the con-
ditions most favorable for termination and
growth are here taken from the bulletin
issued by DR.. Sturtevant of the New York
Experiment Station. The experience of last
year showed better results from shallow
than deep planted corn kernels, and expert
ments in the greenhouse show that the : corn o. r1
grains have the power to germinate after
being dried repeatedly, and under condi-
tions far more adverse than would occur in
the open field. One of the best assistants
to favorable termination was the compact
ing of the soil around the seed at the time
of planting, and the difference was very
marked as compared with seed not SO
treated.
Regarding the nutrition of corn plants,
of the physiological process connected with
such, the first assimilation through which
the food is taken, through the root and
through the leaf, in the presence of sunlight,
and stored in the plant. Then by cheml-
cal process within the plant, this stored ma
terial from the air is deoXidized and formed
into soluble material, designed for the sup
port of growth or for storage. 1t, therefore,
follows that in darkness plant can only
grow from the material which has hitherto
been elaborated, and when this elaborate
material has been utilized, there can be no
more growth until, through the action of the
sun, new material is supplied by assimila-
ton. The corn kernel iscomposed of a germ
or chit, surrounded by a mass OF material
placed there for the use of the terminating
plantlet. The distance to which the plant
can grow apart from the light, is determin-
ed by this amount of prepared food; conse-
quently the large seed is enabled to push its
plantlet through greater depth OF soil on
its way to the surface than is the small seed.
An ordinary sized flint (white) corn can
carry it's plantlet through eight inches OF
soil, but many plantlets perish in such en-
deavor. The seed vegetables under one half
inch of soil more quickly than under six
inches, and the growth, instead of being
massed into extension Of stem, passes into
the formation of leaf and the increasing of
the organs of assimilation. Different de-
grees of depth in planting showed like
| firm roofing, and the same power to with
stand heavy winds. The flint varieties,
when underripe, germinate readily, but
dent varieties must be ripe. In the former
the kernel hardens from the outside inward,
and in the latter from inside outward.
Manuring in the hill was of little benefit
toward increasing the growth OF the plant
in its earlier stages, the manure spread
around the hill being more effective. I'm
It'll the nutritive substance is exhausted from
the seed, those grown in pure sand grew as
well as those on rich soil. Observations
seem to show that the young, plants feed
in their first stages very slightly from soil.
The plants appear from the soil in from ten
to fourteen days after planting, form their
leaves quickly, and then seem to stand
still for warmer weather; but during that
time roots are being extended, getting their
foot hold in the soil, so that in a short time,
starting from their period of repose, they
begin to show that vigor and luxuriance
with which we are all so familiar.