The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-10-13
Correspondence.
CORN CULTURE.
Remarkable Results Attained by an
Intelligent Experimenter.

experiment was CfleQ Is Il yellow 1911
clay, cheesy and friable under good
cultivation. The area was 1SX14
feet. or lilo of an acre. 1t slopes
gently down to a ~wet-weather ditch
2! feet deep that thoroughly drains
1t. Besides this, there are surface
drains on each side, pIanked up and
leading into the ditch. The lay and
slope is east.
PREPARATION. PLANTING N CULTI-
WALTON
In November the ground was
coated over with stable manure,
containing no litter, at the rate of
about % cords to the acre. This was
deeply spaded in and thus left to
mellow with the unusual freezes
that followed. Early in March the
ground was carefully dug owe with
mattock-hoe, and any Jumps of
manure finely broken. The ground
was worked entirely on a level from
first to last and the holes into which
the kernels were dropped we're
opened broad and deep, and at a
distance of feet each way. A little
guano was worked into the soil in
the holes. and 20 to 80 kernels
spread out and covered with an inch
OF soil; the whole being from 2 to 3
inches below the general surface.
Each hole thus became a seed bed
upon which the sun had a full play.
The corn was planted on the 10th
of March. a gentle, warm rain fell in
two or three days, the weather was
warm, and in ten days the plants
We're up. They were lightly touched
by frost, but were afterwards covered
at night with wisps of hay until all
danger was over. The plants grew
off we'll and were thoroughly worked
every few days, and gradually
thinned down to 4 stalks in the hill;
the position of each stalk being care
fully chosen so as to allow the most
room. Most of the workings after
this were with the mattock-hue,
deep and thorough. On the l1th Of
May the hills were manured with a
mixture of guanO and sulphate OF
ammonia, at the rate of 700 pounds
of the former and 60 pounds of the
latter to the acre, which was care
fully hoed in around the plants. On
the Eth of June an ounce of guano
was applied around each hill, and
the attempted pruning of the roots
OF all the rows, but One, began and
continued from day to day, as the
nodes and tassels would begin to
swell.
THE WEATHER N THE RAINS.
April was an entirely dry month,
but on the 2sth the rains began.
From this date to the 9Th of July
there was rain on 26 days, and Is
days were wholly or partially
cloudy, with much cool weather in
May. During this period there were
three rain foods, such as had not
occurred in years, besides several
heavy rain storms. For the entire
period, covering ~pollination, siikilg
and curing. the rains were SO con-
tinuous and heavy, and the weather
50 murky, as to prevent perfect fer
t%ilization; whilst the worms and
smut added to the injury. The yield
was certainly cut short one-tourth
from these causes. There was not
sunshine enough during the 60 days
to secure anything like a normal
development. Nothing but the pre-
caution of thorough drainage, assist
ed by deep and thorough cultivation
at suitable intervals, prevented COM
plete disaster. The experiment,
though a complete failure as to
results aimed at, still proves that
even the rainiest season known for
years may be so controlled as to
give good results, though consider
ably below what was expected under
more favorable circumstances.
PERIOD OF MATURITY.
This corn was planted on the 10th
OF March, was cut and shocked the
LIST of september, and was ready for
bread six months from the date of
planting. The period of maturity
must have been heightened at least
fifteen days by the unfavorable
ssason.
RESULT OF THE EXPERIMENT.
First row (outside), 5 hills of 4
stalks tach-2O stalks. Produced 25
ears; ID IN Is stalks, and 10 on 5
stalks. Weight of shelled corn from
~ nor. O nc,rnI,