The Somerset reporter., 1888-04-19
Raising Sweet Corn.
SOME Excellent SUGGESTIONS FgeN
A PRACTICAL. SIANRr0INI.

A IEAAllt Al = ANiit t#iaN
After a factory has run few xears ahi
the farmers have been u>ed fdrlY aud
reasonably, it doesn't require much eoaN-
ing TO induce them 10 plant again. In
fact, they are glad Of tie chance. having
learned by experience that raising sweet
corn for the canning factory l. oue Of the
most profitable Of all farm crops. We
consider the farmer fortunate that : IA
yorably located within i've mics of
sweet corn factory and even If one has
to haul hi, corn nearly twice that distance
he can afford to plant.
But IL is not every one that understands
how to make a success Of this profitable
and. We believe. permanent Industry
Nor has every one the right Kind Of soil
for the most favorable growth aud deScl-
opment Of this crop. Sweet corn J. ratli-
er particular and Hptional in IL varied re.
quircment- 1t won't stand the rough
usage that our common field corn Will.
ahd so you have To hnmor It and baby u
and nurse it. or it Will refuse TO respond
literally 10 your demands.
1t is not little surprising to see the
difference there is hetWeen the best and
the poorest, or in other words between
the amount the most successful farmer
yet, from one acre and the small sum
that nnd- il, way into the poeketb0ok Of
the unsuccessful This proves that Will
the one complies with tile conditions that
alone Insure success, and profit, the other
neglects these important points aud fails
At the Skowhcgan factory, this var,
the best acre was raised by Horace Deal
. progressive and intelligent farmer,
which amounted closely to eighty dollars,
while some other, fell below twenty.
Here we see a difference Of four to one.
There is cause for it. Farmers should
nnd out the cause for this great difference
and act accordingly. Success means :
First, warm rich seed-bed. The soil
must not be a heavy clay, nor soggy and
wet A light, deep loan, well dressed
and liberal supply Of reliable phosphate
in the hill, will send sweet corn along to
perfection and insure paving crop.
Second. plant at the right time, after
the soil becomes sufficiently dry aud
warm, and be sure and plant reliable seed.
Many make failure at the outset be
cause the seed is not reliable. The seed
should be carefully tested before planting
to see if it will come.
Third, clean culture. Weed, and sweet
corn don't take kindly to each other, aud
they both won't flourish in the same field
at the same time. one or the other must
withdraw from the race before fall and
the farmer is the one to decide which.
If he leaves the question for the corn and
weeds TO decide, the weeds will win.
/ After haying 90 through the corn with
/ hoe aud ellectually destroy the abomna-
| bic weeds. 1t will pay good wages in The
| increase Of the corn crop to say nothing
of the gettin. rid of these pests Of tht
/ farm. 1t is hardly fair To burden YOU
/ sweet corn all through the season with
pumpkin vines. You lose by doing so
/ Beans are preferable and yet they are moi
/ to be recommended. Let the corn have
| the entire field to itself, aud it will not
get very easily discouraged but try TO dc
/ its level best all the while.
/ After fair trials, many Of our farmers
are convinced that the fodder corn taken
/ from good field and rightly cured and
I cared for, pays the entire expense OF
growing the crop, 80 that the cash one
receives at the factory is the margin Of
profit. We are of the same opinion
The fodder is al excellent crop TO feed n
all kinds of stock. Cows will give a
good flow Of milk and the Young cattle
thrive on it They all will eat it in pref
erence to good hay.
The farmers of our state should be tru-
~ thankful that this most important in
dustry has come to Maine to stay, and it
is for their interest to give it all the en-
couragement possible. 1t is claimed that
we have the soil and climate above all
others adapted TO the raising Of this crop
to its greatest possible perfection, and
can successfully compete with any other
section of the country. If this be so we
may look for constantly increasing pro-
ducton and corresponding increase Of
pros perity among our farmers.-S. +
! EMERSON in LelriSt0H .J0uHdi