The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-07-07
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.

SWEET Corn SUCKRRa.-Mr. F. c..
Jordan, Of Maine, who raised ten acres
OF sweet corn last year, thinks the small
part from which he cut the suckers
while growing ''did much better; gave
larger ears" but he seeks advice. Dif-
ferent varieties seem to possess different
habits of growth, and until one has had
experience with many it will hardly do
to generaiize. In my own observations
with varieties with no striking tendency
to sucker under ordinary circumstance.
suokering to excess has only taken place
in very rich land, any gain to compen-
safe for their removal. have noticed
that with the variety with which I am
familiar, the largest crop has been yield
ed from the h lis which contained the
most suckers. have also noticed that
there is relation apparent, in many
cases, between the amount of roots and
OF foliage. The plant with the most
foliage is enabled to simulate more nutri-
ment both from the cir and soil than is
the plant with less foli4ge. So, theorst-
ically, am prepared to believe that
suckerlng the corn plant is of no advan-
tage.
When. however, the soil is rot sufa
assimilation and metastasis. then it is
quite probable that the suckers become
an injury in the same manner as If too
many plants We're upon the ground. I
oan also see how that when the water
supply is deficient the evaporation caused
by the suckers may be disadvantage. I
think 1T is probable, although as yet un-
proven, that the distance of planting
corn or in other words, the Dnm ber of
plants PEI acre, for the best crop, is de-
termined to large extent by the water
supply. Whenever there is sufficient
water to supply the enormous evapora
ton from the leaves, there, in the north
ern climates, at least, we can indulge in
close planting; where the water supply is
insufficient for the evaporation from the
leaves, there our distances must be in
creased. In Massachusetts, I can plant
with advantage closer than I found
profitable at the station here at Geneva
last yoar. can see that in Massachu-
setts, with their superior rainfall during
the growing season, suckers may be no
disadvantage, while under the same cir
cumstance here they may be found un-
desirable. This reply, however, is al
most entirely from theory and casual OBJ
servation. and must be considered in the
light of an individual opinion rather
than as an approved fact.-E. Lewis
Sturtevant.
Two Ways of Raising Calves. Form.
erly | used to raise calves by feeding
them skinned milk twice a day." saws a
correspondent of the Rural New Yorker.
"and usually ted them until they were
five or six months old, and thought. on
comparing them with others not fed SO
long. that it paid extremely well to do
SO; but last spring, not have convent
ences to handle milk profitably, tried a
new plan. Oatmeal was bought at So so
per cwt., and every morning q kettlefuI
of porrldge was made. One porrinoer
full of the oatmeal was used, wet up in a
pan with cold water. and then stirred
into the boiling water. The kettle held
about pailful. This made feed for
ten calves both for morning and night.
The meal swelled SO when wet that it
made the porridge sufficiently thick.
when dipped into the pals to be fed
about quart of skinned milk was
added to each cali, which amount of milx
was decreased, and at last none WIS
given as the calves got older. After
awhile cup OF middliDgs was used with.
the oatmeal. This kind of feeding was
begun after the calves had been fed new
milk until they were about four weeks
old, and was kept up until they were five
or six months old. Care was taken when
this kind of feeding was begun not to
overdo it at first, and they were accus-
toned to the new food by degrees. The
result has been all and more than was
the calves grew and throye in
q way that did credit to their feed. They
were kept in pasture where they had
grass and fresh water, and went into the
winter in good condition, and as good
as any calves We ever raised entirely on
milk"