The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-14
Cultivation of Corn.

Mr.. John H. Dent, of Cave Spring, Ca,
writes as follows in the Southern CultiUd-
tor on this subject: AS the corn crop has
been planted and up, it is useless now to
discuss the mode of planting; but taking it
for granted that the ground has been well
nrspared before planting, and the planting
has been iudiciously done, shall now refer
IN its cultivation. In my opinion, and the
ovnerience l have had, the cultivation of
corn should be governed more by the kind
of lands YOU have to cultivate than be gov
erned by any general rules. Soft, sandy
lands should be plowed light or can be cul-
tivated with the harrow, but when you
have heavy clay lands or stiff swamp lands
that run together and become packed from
rains. the cultivation must be different from
that of light, porous soils. On the light
lands stirring the soil light is all that is
necessary, but on heavy, stiff lands, when
the soil has been packed or run together,
the first blowing given should be at least
from three to four inches deep, for then
there are no corn roots to disturb, and such
nlowings loosens up the soil and gives the
roots a chance to make their way easily in
search of plant food. The second blowing
should be lighter, for the corn roots are
branching out and should be disturbed as
little as possible, and not to disturb them,
the sweep is the safest pillow, the scraper of
course plows shallower, but having to at
tach it to a scooter to steady its running,
the scooter cuts the corn roots; hence the
sweep is the safest plow, and in dry time,
instead of blowing the corn regularly
through, the safest plan is to pillow every
other row, and by that method you disturb
only one set of roots at time, leaving the
roots in the intermediate rows to support
the stalk, and when through turn back and
pillow out the rows that have been skipped.
l have done this in very dry times and
thought it was benefit. | have done it
only in the last or laying-by plowings. Let
the blowing of corn be ever so we'll done,
giving it hoeing after the last blowing l
have found to be of great advantage. l
hm glad to see the cultivation of corn and
the management of all kinds of food crops
being discussed in the agricultural papers.
Enough has been said and written about
cotton. Grain, grass and stock are of more
importance than cotton to the farmers and
bur farmers want enlightening on that
branch of agriculture; teaching farmers
how to make five bales of cotton to the acre
BIS doing them a greater injury unless they
first made their food supplies what is
wanted is to increase the acreage of grass,
grain and other food crops and curtail the
acreage in cotton. 1 had a visit from ar
old, experienced Vermont farmer who had
become rich from farming, and in looking
at our farms and mode of cultivation he
remarked: UNLESS grass and stock were
raised on your farms in few years you
would have no soil left to cultivate, for no
lands could last so constantly cultivated by
the plow." We see it taking place and
have resorted to terracing to save them,
but nothing will save them and maintain
their fertility like grass, clover and the
small grain crops. Let the cultivation of
grain and grass and the raising of stock be
enlarged and the planting of cotton cur
tailed.