Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-01

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS.

EditOr RegiStcr-Littlr has been accom-
plished by farmers in general by yearly
experiments carefully conducted in the
interests of their own vocation. Nor is
this surprising. Seed-time and harvest
are short seasons. crowded with work;
while great accuracy, without which no
experiment is of the least value. is dis
tasteful to most farmers, and withal few
like to keepa book account. which is also
essential to the end in view
While it would be foolish enough for
every farmer to turn his land into an eX-
perimental station, there are still very
many questions relating to the profitable
management OF his own farm that can
only be solved by experiments, and these
he might wisely institute.
Exactly how much seed of some grains
to the acre will prove most profitable;
the best number of stalks of corn to each
hill with rows and hills at stated distan-
ceS apart whether $. 10 or II, rowed corn
is preferable: the merits of fiat culture
compared with the hilling system and
questions of similar tenor should be set
tied by each farmer for himself with his
surroundings. If neighbor \. has low
undrained land, chilling" might prove
best; while fiat culture on neighbor b. 5
high rolling farm might be more satiSfac-
tory. Two or three stalks of corn to the
hill would be abundant on some poor
IN a., IL
support more. and so ON. 1t is apparent
upon the slightest reflection that no far
mer can conduct his business to the best
advantage without having rules of his
own deduced from actual trials or eNper-
imentS. There are also some general
facts in agriculture, easily obtainable by
individual farmers, which might be turned
to public service. With this in view, the
writer sought during the past season tc
determine the relative carliness of Is So
lected varieties of corn. Every favoritt
. variety is pronounced cery early, and yet
of these Is kinds grown side by side Will
like treatment one only ripened in l0t
days. This is a local l2-rowed variety
grown by few farmers in this town who
have reason to like it every much" L
ears low, with small stalks, excellent fol
feeding, and produces 100 bushels t'
= the acre. Being namcless. so faras cal
learn, it could fitly be called the Early
Vermont.
The next ripened in l05 days and il
called the Waushakum. This, originate,
: by DR.. f. S. Sturtevant of New York, il
+ the result of 10 years careful selection
i The ears are S-rowed, and though no
+ large are quite uniform in size from but
: to tip, the cob being small and well GOV
II cred. 1t has thoroughbred look. Tn
: old standard variety, King Philips, ri
g pened in l07 days; Early Canada in III
g days; the Dew Drop in llG days; Long
II fellows and the Night Angel in ll9 days
= The latter of these two, if not identica
II with the former, is certainly very nea
Il cousin. With ears II and even II inche
5 long, small cob and large kernels, thi
r corn-to use lady's eXpyession-is jus
g splendid" Unfortunately it is Il littl
/ late for this latitude.
" The TopOver corn, true-for a won
= der-to the catalogue statement, has
h cob or stem where broken in husking n
4, larger than pipe-stem. 1t is too lat
If for ms. The other varieties grown are @
If no special interest except the North Sta
le IA Western dent--which actually r
4 pened with King Philips in l07 days. |
:. yield, by weight in the ear, the Wal
II shakum and Early Vermont We're tn
If most productive of the early varieties.
l.. W. PEEl