Norwich bulletin., 1918-09-20
THE FARMERS TALK TO FARMERS
WORK MusT .RE euIpEp RY INTELLIeENcE
Written Specially for The Bulletin.

Written Specially for The Bulletin.
 don't know what some so-called farmers do with their brains. They have such things, as careful observa- ton proves. But they don't use 'em in their business. At least not all the time.
 For instance, I have one really in- dustrious and hard working neighbor who wants to raise corn-or thinks he does. Last fall he saw me Juggling home from my corn patch several traces of seed ears.
 >HoW-on-eart you-ever- get-such-corn?' he gasped. why, mine hasn't got a <eaIly decent seed ear on the whole five acres"
 When I replied with some stale joke. he went on: Coin to have any to sell, next spring? If y'are, I want a bushel. l promised it to him. Last spring he appeared for it. And right then his neglect of his own brains be- gan to show itself.
 In the first place my corn had been i planted ten days and was beginning to prick through, when he appeared for the seed for his. end he hadn't fitted his ground, even then; admitted that he shouldn't be able to plant for per | haps week.
 III IAAC oCSO41u PidCS, l6 ndQn | Ina nured his plat, except for a scant scattering of few loads at one end In the third place, he had chosen 1 for the most of his piece a low-lying meadow, inclined to be wet and with rather sour soil.
 In the next place, he finally planted | his corn with one of those patent 1 l'lAnters and without any fertilizer o1 starter of any soGt in the hill.
 Now, in this particular neck 0 woods we have rather short seasons; 1 too short for such a crop as corn unless the fullest advantage is taken of every slant of weather, and the fullest use made of every known scheme for has tening growth. Just the least little movement of ones brains would teacf any farmer-as it has taught severa of us-that, to secure a mature ant ripened corn crop we must, first choose warm and early soil: second manure heatily; third, plant at tht very earliest possible moment; fourth give every hill a special dose of som' 1 quick acting manure to push thu young shoots along till they have go strength enough to forage for them selves in the surrounding soil Every one of these primary require ments thy neighbor ignored. He ig nored them this season, just as he dit last season, and though last falls cro1 failure had hit him hard enough, on would have thought, to make anybod sit up and take notice.
 We'll, we've had the usual fall frost It came a little earlier than some times, and was a trifle sharper thal the first one sometimes is. yIt kil'i beans. and tomatoes and peppers an squashes and corn. My patch of vel low flint had matured just two day before, so that it was safe to cut. An we had cut it. But my neighbor' much larger field was still "in tn milk" Hardly an ear had yellowe and practically none had begun glaze. He may be able to get som "soft corn" fit for pigs, though he ha no pigs to feed it to.
 '1f the frost had only held off tw weeks more. I'd have had a nobl crop he sighed, the other day.
 Oh, yes. And IF he had plante when he sho2Sj and as he should, Il
 would have had a good crop, despit the frost.
 But, didn't say so. I kept m
 mouth shut. Next spring he'll
 down after mere seed corn. An
 again I shall keep that mouth shu
 For two reasons: First, he would tai
 offense if I should say anything whic + looked like interference with h : farming methods and, second. : wouldn't do the slightest good.
 If qrown-up man who has brair (and this neighbor has them)' simp won't use them, there's no ground f. Q expecting him to use any other fe