The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-22
Editorial NOtings.


who signs himself "Clodhopper," but
who writes as glibly as a schoolmaster,
thus details his experiences " l once
bought 230 kernels of corn of an honest
mana business man here-for fifty
cents. 1t was said to have ears at
every joint, from five to seven on
stalk, and was warranted to ripen
in ninety days. About the first of
June 1 spaded up part of my garden,
made it rich with rotten manure, drew
line and put kernel in the ground
once in twelve inches. took extra care
of it, and it was about fit to boil when
frost struck it, about the Doth of Sep
TENDER, and not stalk had more than
two ears on it, although some of them
we're twelve feet in height. | have
had Norway oats, bald barley, hulless
oats and numerous other novelties that
did not amount to dry dust to any
farmer who bought expecting to i'm
prove his crops" This illustrates
too common type of man, easily taken
in by novelties, but so devoid of good
judgment, and elementary knowledge
of farming, as to be an easy victim of
every gaily-painted humbug. There
are plenty of men who might not ex-
press themselves half so readily with
pen who could scent a humbug at
once, and yet would have the sound
judgment to select an occasional nov
city which would be of real benefit to
them. 1t is not astonishing to note
that this farmers advised method or
making money is to cut down the
wages of the help, in imitation of some
manufacturing corporations.
OvERMANURING with dung also
tends to make corn late by favoring an
underground of stalk and leaf; but not
satisfied with buying southern variety
to begin with, our Clodhopper in
creased its lateness by the petting he
gave it. 1t may have been ninety-day
corn in Maryland or Tennessee. 1t is
quite possible that the original grower
told the truth on this point. If Clod-
hopper" had anything beyond local
routine knowledge about corn he would
first of all have inquired where the seed
corn offered him at such high price
was grown. There are many early sorts
of corn grown in the South that actually
do ripen in ninety days from planting
there, but here the same corn would not
get heat enough in all summer to more
than get into the silk, and another Gu
rious thing about it is that it often
grows twice as tall when planted North
as it grows at home. Our lower sum-
mer temperature is sufficient to push
on the growth of stalk and leaf, but not
to develop the seed.
EDUCATION FOR FARMERS. The
writer above quoted sneers at agricul-
tural colleges-and, indeed, very few OF
them have as yet justified themselves
before the people as good value for
their cost. They could easily furnish q
better education for the farm. But
perhaps the very poorest sort of school
ing for youth who is to follow any
industrial art is the kind of literary
smatter that some boys get at an acad-
envy where youth are prepared for col
lege. This is the kind of 60 little learn.
ing" that is truly a " dangerous thing"
We have nothing to say against a
literary training, if it is thorough
but literary smatterin5 leaves moth
ing of value in the mind and il
apt to give us that sort of horned cat.
tie which soeXcited Horace Greeley
ire-youth who think they know goot
deal, and don't know anything fully or
correctly. This is not so apt to be the
case with incomplete scientific teaching
If from skilled teacher, it is good sc
far as it goes; and it is much more
likely to be followed up afterwards, be
cause it can be practically made use o.
in everyday affairs. This is the sort o
learning that helps upon the farm.
is also the sort which so improves tn
judgment in regard to business affair
that such corn, for instance, as took il
the " Clodhopper," would be known t.
be fraud at sight by rightly-traine
boy.
ENsILAGE.-Our observing farmer
are learning that southern corn, Will
giving a huge growth of stalk and leai
contains even less nutriment than GU
native corn, which will not occupy ha
as much space in the silo. 1t is prof.
ably advisable to grow for ensilage
corn somewhat later than we shoul
grow for grain, because when a cor
is glazed, though it may not ripen,
has in its stalk, leaves, cobs and graf