Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-04-17
THE CORN CROP.
lFrom the Southern Planter.

the most important grain crop of
the United States. Its cOnsump-
ton is increasing annually through
out the world, and when not pro
duced in any other country it is
mainly imported from ours. Our
production has reached the enor-
nous quantity OF two thousand
millions of bushels, worth, at the
average price of forty cents, $780,
200, 900. Its money value is the
greatest Of all farm crops except,
possibly, hay. These crops con-
stitute the basis of food for live
stock and all domestic animals,
and, to a large extent, for mankind.
If farmers do not care to worry
their minds about the effect of agli
cultural productions on the general
wealth of the country, hey will
admit the fact that they have a
pleasurable feeling when, in the
month of April, they can look into
their corn cribs and see that their
supply is sufficient for the year,
and that there Will be no stint OF
bread for their families, or of grain
for their animals. This feeling is
incentive enough for them to re-
gard this crop of great Importance
to them. 1t is useless and unwise
to bother their minds about a
prospective market price, for, up
to the point of a necessary farm
supply, it will make no difference
whether corn will be worth ten
cents or one hundred cents a
bushel. The surplus, after an
ample farm supply, is a net gain to
all farmers, but a deficiency is
serious and inconvenient loss to
them.
1t ought to be assumed that all
American farmers do understand
how Indian corn should be cult.
waited, for it was found here when
the first colonies were settled, two
hundred and eighty years ago, and
has been an abiding and increasing
staple ever since. But the most
casual observer of the present day
will see that its cultivation by
many farmers is sadly Indifferent
and unyielding. Fall and Winter
blowing, as a rule, is much neglect
ed on clay lands, so that the pull
verizing effects of frost are lost and
good filth impossible; whilst
light and loamy lands may be best
plowed in the Spring, just before
planting, yet the work on these is
generally hurried and badly per
formed. The most damaging mis-
take in either case which farmers
make is, that they measure their
crop by the extent of the surface
laid out for cultivation. They fail
to see that ten acres, well prepared,
MANFRED and cultivated, will make
largely more than fifty acres badly
prepared and cultivated without
manure. The case, fairly stated
will stand thus: Ten acres, forty
bushels each, 400 bushels; fifty
acres, five bushels each, $50 bush
els. This presents gain of near
ly one hundred per centum in the
crop, whilst the ten acres, thus
cultivated, have doubled their
value, and the fifty acres have
deprecated. And the further
thought and fact comes in, that
the labor expended OH the excess
of forty acres was equal to all the
demands for the extra cultivation
and manuring Of the ten.
The substance of what we have
said Of corn applies to all other
crops, and it is well for farmers to
consider earnestly (making expert
ments to ascertain facts how they
may be benefited by thorough
cultivation and Notwithstanding
surfaces in these respects-and
also by rotation and drainage,
which are fundamental factors in
successful agriculture.