Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-12-27
CORN THE scAvENeER cRoP. :
On Farms Run with Chemicals and Clio
ver-POtatOes the Money Crop.

On Farms Run With Chemicals and Clo-
ver-PotatOes the Money Crop.
What the pig or the goose is on many
farms the corn crop is in chemical
farming-a waste saver, manufactur-
er Of the crudest materials. Every 9TH
er crop on the farm is nourished by
manufactured products, with view Of
eliminating all wastes or useless bulk.
All the wastes that do accumulate are
dumped upon the corn crop to be util-
lied, made over and fitted for the pota-
toes. These progressive farmers who
depend on chemical fertilizers recall
with wonder their own days of manure
farming or read the reports OF other
farmers who spread tons of stable ma
nure directly on the potato fields. The
work of hauling all the WI. ar in that
stable manure through the mud and
hurry of spring and the thought Of put
ting that mass OF hot and fermenting
material directly upon the crop that is
more susceptible than any other to rots
and "skin diseases are to them incom-
prehensible. They can ride on com
Portable seat and put the fertilizer on
ten acres while big man with the
stoutest team Of horses in the country is
hauling out stable manure enough to
give one acre fair dressing.
These farmers would not put stable
manure directly upon potatoes. 1t must
first be strained through a crop Of
corn" before they want it for making
tubers. After cutting the grass for the
second year all the stable manure made
ON the farm is hauled out and spread
on the sod. This work is done before
potato digging, when there smoothing
else to be done. In the spring the accu-
mutations from hogpen, stables, ETC.,
are scattered over the sod with straw,
stalks, etc., and the whole mass is
plowed and we'll narrowed. The corn
is planted in hills. The corn crop brings
in less cash than any other, and yet it
Is one of the most valuable in the rota-
tion because it draws its fertility from
substances which in this farm system
may be counted as wastes, and because
it puts the ground, the stable manure
and grass sod in the best possible condi-
tion for the money crop Of the rotation
potatoes.
1t is because potatoes are the money
crop Of the farm that they are fed on
the choicest food. The corn plant is the
key keeper of the rotation. Glover sup
plies the crude material, and corn
manufactures it into suitable humus"
for the potato plant, yielding its grain
as almost clear gain. On rotation of
this sort, where first class potatoes are
to be grown, the corn crop is almost as
important as the clover because Of its
ability as weed cleaner and its skill as
a manufacturer Of potato humus or suit
able vegetable matter to go with the
chemicals to make the best artificial
dung"
The great advantage Of this system,
says H. W. Collingwood in his manual
on chemicals and clover, is that all the
farm manure is used on the corn instead
OF on wheat or other crops. Corn. dur
ing its long summer growth, can freely
use these manurial supplies. When
1900 pounds Of fertilizers are used on
an acre of potatoes, with wheat and
grass to follow, it means only annual
applications Of less than 500 pounds
1t is concentration everywhere. The po-
tatoes pay for it all While the sales Of
hay from this farm are heavy, this
item is, as we have said, almost clear
gain, because the potatoes have paid for
all the fertilizer needed for three or
four years. Not only that but they
paid for it in the same year it was
bought II, instead Of using /, 800
pounds on the potatoes, these farmers
should use 500 on potatoes, 500 on
wheat and 500 on grass, their bills
would be as high as now, the labor
three times as great and the crop of po-
tatoes cut down nearly one-half, with
but small increase in grain and hay
twill thus be seen that the rotation 10
one particularly well suited to the use
Of chemicals.