Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-24
a eovEKxoR Of ooKN.

Hon. w. J. Northen, governor of Georgia,
writes to the Southern Cultivator for
March that this month will determine the
prospects of the farmers at the South for
the present year. March is the month
that viii determine the corn crop area. If
q large part of the farm is given to corn,
well put into the soil, it will be a hopeful
Sign of the times. If farmers repeat the
past and give this land to cotton, or put
their corn crop into badly prepared soil, we
viii go through another year of depression
and debt.
It is not only true that the area given to
corn is too limited, but the crop is fire.
quently not properly put in, The pressure
TO get to preparing land for cotton has gen
orally been SO great that the corn land has
been neglected.
Governor Northen goes on to state that
the best corn crop he ever made came from
thoroughly prepared soil. He broke the
ground thoroughly, broadcast, with two
horse plow. By the time he was ready to
plant the corn a slight crust had formed on
the surface. He opened the furrow for the
corn with big broad scooter, and ran a
straight subsoil pillow in the bottom and
covered the corn by running an Acme har-
row over the surface This management
left the ground in fine tilth, and fine shape
for the termination of the seed and the
growth of the plant
Another reason for failure in corn crops
is found in slow working. The times be-
tween plowings are too far separated At
ter the first blowing, the surface should be
lightly stirred every ten Gays, indeed after
every rain if possible.
March is the time to begin the revolution
in our farm work, and it remains to be
seen whether we will have more corn and
less cotton. Farmers, count well before
you let the month pass with It's golden OPP
portunity.
Another article in the same excellent
magazine, appearing without credit, and,
therefore, presumably an editorial, leads off
with the remark that any farmer in his
senses should be contented, year after
year, TO sweat and toll over his land for
harvest of ten twenty or thirty bushels of
corn from each acre when he might as
easily cart off more than double that guam
tity is a paradox.
The writer then goes on to state that
varieties Of corn are chiefly modified by
locality and culture. In tropical climates it
grows Cluxuriantly and natures slowly,
while in northern ATTITUDES it becomes more
diminutive and ripens earlier.
No great yield of corn or any other crop,
for that matter, need be expected from
mere surface blowing at the preparation.
The blowing should be ten or twelve inches
deep, thus throwing up to the action of the
sun and air soil that never before felt their
mellowing influence This treatment, be-
sides giving two or three times the quantity
Of nutriment to the growing plant, will
enable it to resist drouth, because the
lower portions of such soil retain their
moisture until fresh supplies are received
from the clouds.
Next comes the careful selection of good
seed for planting, and to this end these
seven rules should be observed: 1. Pick
the ears that are nearest the ground. 3
Ears having a short footstalk 3. From
stalks having the most ears. Generally but
one ear on stalk is proper for seed, and
that is usually the second ear. 4. Never
take from stalk having but one ear, if
stalks can be found having two or more
ears. 5. Always take eaIs that are filled
out to the end and that run beyond the
husk, if such can be had. 6. Lay up four
or five times as much as will probably be
wanted z. When you come to plant, be-
fore Smelling, break every ear and see if
the pith of the cob is dried up and hollow,
for if it is not, the corn is not fully ripe.
Then shell of the butt and tip till you
come to the long grains.
Some plant in drills four feet apart, the
stalks standing from nine to twelve inches
distant from each other. Some again scat
ter the grains in the hills. Another method
is to lay of the field in rows three feet
apart each way, planting at the intersections
six or eight grains to the hill, which should
be thinned out to proper standing The
idea intended to be conveyed here is that
one will always find the expenditure of
few extra grains of corn much cheaper than
TO replant, even not taking into considera-
ton the advantages of having the entire
crop all of the same age.
Never hill your corn, continues this
writer, because killing it loosens it's hold
on the ground. Do the deep cultivation
first, before the ibrous roots have spread,
and break up the surface as lightly as pos
sible whenever a crust forms thereon. The
weeds and suckers should be destroyed.
If these rules are followed, be the season
wet or dry, hot or cold, the farmer may be
sure of a good crop; and if the season be
favorable, he will have an extra large yield.
The Texas 'land skinner may contend
that this article was written for Georgia,
and not for Texas, and that it viii not
apply here, but the best informed corn
growers of the Lone Star state Will stand
ready 10 assure him that it is of general
application, and rather more applicable
here than in some other sections of our
common country.