St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-10
CORN CULTURE.
How the Disadvantages of Dry
Season Can Be Best Overcome.

CORN CULTURE.
How the Disadvantages of Dry
Season Can Be Best Overcome.
At the close of each growing season
there are some lessons of the year that
should be gathered up and rehearsed in
order to fix them permanently in mind.
and also to add to the stock OF general
information, which all should be glad
to increase TO its utmost extent, says
writer in the Country Gentleman. Ii
the changes for each month for the
entire season came i'm routine order
recurring at stated times in exact pc
RODS of duration-the science of agri-
culture would long since have reached
beyond the domain of conjecture and
entered the list of exact sciences.
The effectual processes that bring
success in this years operations
would be the pattern for next
farming. But in proportion as the
changes of the seasons differ, so the APP
plication of different practices becomes
necessary. While we are striving to
determine what system of tactics to en-
plOy in wet or cold season, we forget
what manipulation of the soil becomes
necessary for adry one.
In discussing this phase of farming
with few gathered farmers at
neighbours freside lately, the special
subject of growing corn in dry season
came up, and it was generally conceded
that our knowledge of cause and effect
in the growth of this crop was very lin
tied. The heroic treatment of cOntin-
ued cultivation has proved fatal in every
instance, especially where anything
OF
tempted. Many fields. under system
that would be considered slack, when
gagged by the usual effective methods,
have produced ali that could have been
expected in average years, while con-
slant and thorough cultivation dam
aged and dwindled the crop down to a
meager half.
There is limit beyond which culti-
walton ceases to do good, and is fire.
quently, especially in dry season, a
serious damage. When the soil is free
from weeds, and is well pulverized, no
further manipulation can increase its
power of appropriating its essential food
and moisture. Every attempt to in
crease this power diSturbS the operations
Of the root system and checks the
growth of the plant. Apple trees are
frequently pruned so severely that they
man knows that it takes from seven to
ten days for young trees to recover, and
begin to grow after each pruning OF
the top. In wet season, when the earth
has a full supply of moisture, corn
grows in spite of vigorous cultivation,
and indeed the fact that the season is
wet, often prevents excessive stirring
of the soil. The rule that is here now
commonly accepted, is to stir the sur
face of the ground after each heavy
rain that is liable to crust the top soil;
but while the earth is becoming drler
and drier, keep out of the corn and sit
in the shade rather than work it then.
We know so little of what is going on
beneath the first two inches of earth
that it is not surprising that we allow
custom instead of knowledge to guide
our acts. The effectiveness of improved
machinery makes it comparatively
easy to stir the soil to any rea-
sonable depth. With this power to do
comes the desire and fashion, with no
consideration for the evil that may be
done to the growing crop. Narrowing
wheat in the spring with the view of
improving the growth is twin fallacy
that ought to go to that crowded limbo
of rejected theories where such nom
sense naturally belongs.
THE HUSKING MACHINE
is still at work every fair day. AS the
husks and ears have become drier. the
ears seem to lie up lighter above the
rollers. and the grasp of the pins on the
huSkS is less vigorous, and the huSk-
ing is less effectual than when my
job was done. This defect is easily
Iemedied by having an apron rest
lightly on the ears to hold them down
as they pass along the rollers. Thir-
seed, have been husked to the entire
satisfaction of the grower.
Some thrashing of corn has been 60
ing on the past week, but the crop is
not dry enough yet to do good work.
The pith of the stalk breaks up, and it
is too heavy to be blown off the sleeves,
and they mix largely with the shcllcd
corn, and it all makes dirty mass to feed.
The crop of corn for the coming year
will be cut and shocked with the view
of husking with the machine, or to be
thrashed, as the season or the inclina-
ton of the growth shall determine to be
/ best. But very little husking by hand
will be done in the future, when the av-
erage farm crop of twenty acres can be
disposed of so etfectually in about two
days time. This is only the compile
ment of the planter, and the effectual
tillage by horsepower, which enables
boy to do the work of two OF three men
and grow crop to maturity very cheap
ly. Husking has been the one great
setback to growing this important
crop.