The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-26
THE FARM AND THE GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO AGRI-
CULTURIST AND HOUSEWIVES.

Same Facts About Popcorn and Its
Place in the Markets as a Luxury.
How to Plant and Cultivate 1t.
Planting in Orchards-The Benefits
of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the Gar
den.
Popcorn has its definite place in COM
nerce just as much so as ground peas
(oeanuts) OF any other article thai par
takes more of the quality of a luxury or
side Gish than as a regular article of hui
man food. such as rice or beans. Peanuts
are not supposed to be served at table as
a regular food, neither is popcorn, and it
may be said that if the seed OF both were
suddenly lost the world would not be
much the worse off for the loss-that is,
so far as the sustaining of human life
IS concerned. But yet both peanuts and
popcorn now occupy a wel-defned place
in the economy of life, and there are
millions of people who would regard it a
great deprivation. a great calamity, If Ell
Their or both of these handy and palatable
lunch materials were no longer at the serv-
ice of man, woman and child of the pres
ent day 1t may be assumed that pop
corn was a special gift for the entertain
ment of children during the long nights of
winter and their accompanying dreary
drizzly days. But if we make observation
of the popcorn mans sales in any public
place we win note that the majority OF
munchers are men and boys. We grant
that on occasions popcorn is no less at
tractiye than peanuts (wen roasted, of
course) as a casual lunch. So while really
not a matter of actual necessity TO the
word it would be something of a loss to
II if we had no more peanuts or popcorn.
We are told that the present demand for
first-elass popcorn is so great the supply
is unequal TO meet it, and at prices rang
ing from $3.50 to $500 per bushel
This is 50, too. in spite of the fact that
II win yield more per acre than any other
kind of corn. Good soil such as would
make a bale of cotton per acre viii yield
seventy-five TO 100 bushels of popcorn If
cultivated intensely; which requires the
use of the best variety and plenty of
stalks to bear the corn. One farmer last
year made l76 bushels of popcorn to the
acre, so he Claims. This is almost incred-
ible. His rows were three feet apart and
the stalks stood fourteen inches apart in
the row, which gave 1880 stalks 10 the
acre. We are told that a variety known
as the "Mapledale prolific bears from
eight to twelve ears TO the stalk. Our
own experience with popcorn leads to the
conclusion that of all the grain-bearng
plants it is the most productive, There are
some very tall-growing sorts, and there
are some very dwarf sorts, and there are
few that set less than three or four ears
to the stalk.
In growing it az a money crop Il Is very
important TO have pure seed of a variety
that possesses in the highest degree the
qualities of popping. Age increases this
quality, and some buyers will only buy
corn that is two or three years old. This
age may be necessary with some kinds,
but we have grown varieties that after
being sun-eured three or four months
popped perfectly.
There are numerous varieties of pop
corn, some Of which, like the ''silver lace"
sucker immensely. These kinds are not
desirable.
Besides the "Mapledale," which grows
six or seven feet tall and is a desirable
kind, there are the White Rice" Am
Der Rice" Red Rice" varieties. The
Queens Golden" (talD is also an excel
lent sort.
The Tom Thumb" is the smallest kind
growing only eighteen to twenty-four
inches high and produce tiny ears of
golden color. 1t is novel, but not kind
for money crop.
Popcorn must not be planted anywhere
near any other Kind of corn that will
bloom at or about the same time.
The rows need not be over three feet
apart for any of the varieties, and the
stalks need not be over one foot apart In
the row. Some of the smaller sorts can
be planted even closer than this-say six
or eight inches. All three by one foot
there would be over 1900 stalks, where
a perfect stand was secured.
There is no question that there are
many farmers In every section who could
make popcorn a side crop of consdera BILE
value If they made such success of it
as may be done by due regard to variety
and high state of preparation of the
soil before planting the crop.
The seeds being small, must not be put
into deep burrows, but must be put in in
like manner that sorghum is planted
Essace.
Planting in Orchards.
The Question lie raarr.afraIIxy raour-s,--x