St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-05-11
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
The Corn Crop.

Inc Corn Crop.
After sowing, during tho past fall
and down to the close of February, q
liberal area to oats for summer feeding
OF work-stock. next in order 10 the corn
crop. which has been. and will con.
tinue to be for years to come. the chiss
reliance for stock. and the NOR, com.
mon. everyday staff of ut.,. Farmers
all know how to pl,.-nt, cultivate and
harvest corn; .tney know its great
value for all the purposes for which it
Is used: they are slow to change the
Aao..s of thought and reliance OF gen.
erations past.
We have before intimated our p,efer.
ence for the system OF planting. on
beds more or less raised above the
original surface. those crops that are
planted early In the spring. Some
years OF experience served to confirm
US In the conviction that cora-early
corn especially-will do better ON beds
than on dead-plaia surface. The es-
sential advantage In planting on a bed
consists in the fact that the ..water.
furrow" acts as . surface draiA to re-
move the surplus waiter. That is
particularly observable on level or
comparatively level land. and espe-
cially II the spring be very wet
which il the rule and not the excep.
ton in the older portions Of the South.
The opening furrOw, however, should
be deep and the seed corn should be
covered shallow-notn more than one to
one and half inches. We are conf
dent that competitive trial of the two
methods. waking all the other condi-
tions Practically the same. and con-
Quoted for several consecutive years.
would result in favor of planting on
beds instead Of on the level surface.
We have tried planting in the water
fnrrow-between the beds-to our dis
satisfaction. II we could certainly fore
see very dry. warm spring. follow ed
by dry May. June and July, it would.
doubtless, be a wise expedient tn plant
In the water-furrow. But our springs
are usually wet. and frequently cold
and late. The corn plant, according to
the variety planted. completes its
growth and natures its fruit within .
given period. 1t has its time for tas-
selling and its time for shooting and
caring. The conditions of soil. for
tilization. eeasons and culture do
not materially alter these periods.
When it has reached one of
these critical points. particularly
the shooting. and silking and the ear
ing stage. it will not stand still-so to |
speak-snd wait for . rain. This is |
moro or less true OF all annual plants |
that are cultivated for their seeds. and
which do not produce flower and fruit /
successfully and continuously through
out a considerable period. It is there
fore important that the seed should be
planted under the most favorable con-
ditions, and that the treatment in every
detail should be such as will tend to
the most rapid an perfect develop
ment of the plant 1t should. as far as
We can control it, come up quickly and
at once, and continue with
out hindrance. its growth and success
i've development Of the blade. the stalk
and the full corn in the ear" Cot
ton will bear a degree OF neglect; It
win recover entirely from tho bad
treatment and unfavorable circum-
attending its earlier period Of
thn haI H.
formed and unfavorable conditions be
removed. But We doubt if field of
corn ever entirely RECEIVERS from the
effects of unfavorable and retarding
The time of planting is important.
but experience, after all. is tho only
safe guide, and experience las told
every man. according to particular To-
cality Of his farm. or particular char
acter OF soil. or other unchanging cir
what is the best time to
plant The temperature of the air on
any particular day. or the mean TEN.
perature of the week that has Just
past, the fight Of birds. and the BIOS
'oming Of plants. are not even helpful
igns. except as indicating to a
stranger in a strange land that spring
Is at hand. The rule We evolved
from years OF practical experience is
his: Plant when the month and (if
you please). the day of the month.
has arrived. which previous ek-
perience tells US involves the
east trouble in getting a fair
stand, the least expense in after
culture and the best results in yield;
md when the ground is in good plow-
ng condition. We have repeatedly
planted corn when the ground was
trusted by ice in the easly morning.
md yet a prompt termination and good
;and resulted inside of two weeks. In
uch cases the ''time had come" to
liant corn; We were ready to plant;
he ground was in blowing condition,
nd the cold snap was unreasonable and
emporary. 1t requires from ten days
o two wceas for corn to come up. !
rhen planted in the spring. What is
wanted is good. sunny, warm weather
Turing the sprouting and coming up.
I We plant now. when the air is warm
md balmv. we have no guarantee that J
he weather will not be rainy. or the =
temperature down 10 freezing o week {
Y ten days hence. {