Year: 1877

Editor BrooLharea Leager::--


/ saw. some time back, an article in
the Comet upon perennial cotton rails
ing by DR.. Bennett, and full descrip
tion of the plant and the protecting tho
same through the winter, which inspired
me with q curiosity to visit the Eoctor's
farm and see for myself the wonderful
productions of the Doctors genius. 50
[ pushed>my work up to place whero
! could leave i for few days, and then
lit out for the Bennett farm on Pearl
River. Meeting with no obstruction J
reached the desired spot in less than
one and half days. Here, very mex
pectedly, found the Doctor and all his
family spending the summer months on
the farm. The Doctors family consists
of himself, wife and nine children, tho
youngest fine, hearty little Master,
Jim, about two years old then gradu-
ally up like stair steps with four-inch
rise Of very interesting girls and boys,
up to the eldest, who is beautiful we'll
accomplished young lady in her twen-
tieth year. We learned the Doctor vas
to have the second degree of paternity
conferred on him soon.


Well, to my story. After the usual
greetings and an introduction to the
family, informed the Doctor Of the
purposes Of my visit. He said 1t WAS
was near his meal time, and he would
not show me out until I did him the
honor of dinner with my presence; sU
thanked him, and sank back in an easy
chair to wait his will aud pleasure, but
soon q signal from the dining room
aroused me, and I was conducted 50
table that vas heayily loaded with every
thing good from the farm, garden and
market, with Mrs B. presiding. Here
[ did the Doctor all the damage I pos
sibly could, and particularly in the
rOasting~ear department. which ]
thought the best | ever tasted. I could
not help being a little queer abont tha
matter, whereupon Mrs. 3. said the
mystery would naturally explain itself
when [ went out and saw the superior
quality of corn the Doctor was raising
Dinner being finished and heavy pipe
of tobacco reduced to smoke and ashes,
we set out for the farm and soon reached
the field of cotton plants. Here l was
struck with astonished admiration at
seeing the great c6tton trees in full
bloom and boil. L readily perceived
that the Comet reporter had done moth
lug more than Justice to the Doctor and
his cotton plants, but the Doctor said
the Comet reporter had not done him
Justice, for lie said nothing of his fam
lily or of his mammoth prolific corn. of
which will try to give Descriptions.
but do not feel able TO do Justice
to the matter; but here is the
corn as near rs eau picture it: The
stalk very large but rather stubby, with
short joints, with two stems at each
Joint, from twelve to eighteen iuchus
long; on the ends of these stems proWs
the fodder, in punches about the size OF
large bundles of fodder. There is a
strap or tie which shoots out from tho
stalk and winds around the burches OF
fodder. This strap is on the principle
of the Alligator cotton tie, so when the
fodder is at the proper stage for gather
ing You go round with something on the
briar>hook order, and cut the stems. lee
the bunches hang by the straps until
cured, then a little jerk will bind and
bring down the fodder at the same time,
and thus your work is complete Now
iOl tIlG COIu. 1utIC dTG Two ears or
shucks at every joint. These ears have
small stem or cob through the centre
on which the corn commences to form.
When the cob is full then the grains
form one on the other until the shuck
is full. The shuck grows fast overeach
end and as the corn ripens 1t separates
and becomes a shuck or sack full Of
shelled corn. These ears or shucl1s are
from eighteen to twenty-four inches in
length and from eight to twelve inches
in diameter. and will hold from hall
to bushel of sholIod corn. The shucil
is very tough, and consequently viii
bear rough handling, so the corn is
ready for shipping as it comes from the
stalk, for We can rip open the shuck
with pocket knives and pour out the
corn as from any other sack.


The tassel of this corn resembles n
large bundle of German millet. Tho
Doctor said one good stalk will yield
from ten to fifteen bushels of corn and
from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty pounds of fodder He said there
was great secret in selecting the seed
of this corn rs there was but one ear to
the stalk that would make corn after
this kind. This corn is superior to any
other variety in the way of food for
stock, and is equal to hou; for bread.


HEGE.


Q