Year: 1877

FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.


Profitable Corn Growing.


The average yield of the corn scrop is
about twenty-seven bushels per acre
for the whole country. This includes
the large yield of the rich prairie States
where an average Of forty to Fifty BUSH
els per acre is usual. In the Eastern,
Middle and Southern States, the yield
is very low and on the whole does not
surpass fifteen bushels per acre. Yet
in isolated cases in these States many
good farmers produce seventy, eighty
or even one hundred bushels per acre,
and many ambitious farmers are trying
to reach a higher limit yet. This j. not
at all impossible !; it is not even improba-
Bile. It is reasonable to 60 further and
say that the very high yield is not at all
easy to figure out o crop of one hundred
bushels Of shelled corn per acre, and
we do not think it much less easy to
reduce the figuring to practice. Thus
if we can grow three stalks to q hill,
with the hills three and half feet apart,
we have $500 bills and IL, 100 stalks
per acre. If every stalk should bear one
good ear there would bs. 100 ears per
acre. One hundred good ears weighing
twelve ounces each would give one
bushel Of shelled corn. Therefore this
crop would amount K, ia bushels per
acre. The only requisite for this. pro-
fitable crop then, is that we should
raise variety of corn that produces no
barren stalks and that will carry one
good ear only upon every stalk. This
seems to be q very simple matter, but
many farmers would be surprised to
learn how small proportion OF stalks
in their fields carry even one ear.
We have been selecting seed, and by
all other means have been endeayoring
to grow corn that should produce two
good ears per stalk, and yet We have not
succeeded in: growing any that will on
the average produce more than one ear
TO- every two stalks. With. the easy
DO ssibility of reaching one hundred
bushels per acre if only fertile stalks
were grown, yet farmers look upon one
who talks OF such q crop as too enthus-
astic, if not foolish. It seems asthough
we had been aIl this time pursuing a
wrong idea, or following q wrong course.
and neglecting the most palpable and
plain path to success. It is not to ter
tllize our ground 80 richly as to grow
luxuriant stalks with two or three ears
each in place of one; but to grow mod
erately sized stalks, each having an eur
in place of those with none.A o. s".',"


In passing through q: fair-loohng
field of corn number of stalks with
out eals will always be seen. ;. 1t is
these that dilute and lessen the value, OF
the crop. Can we get rid of these by
any means?. It is certainly onr; bust
ness to do it if possible, just as we
should weed out Of our yards hens
which lay no eggs, sows which produce
no litters, COWS without calves or milk,
and mares without foals !; or cut out from
our orchards trees that yield no fruit. AS
no farmer would tolerate such worthless
stock 80 he should moi ottolerate basJenness
in his cornfeld. Among oth' mang use
full suggestions made by DR.. p. L.
Sturtevant, of Massachusetts, who ls
one of our most scientific and practical
farmers and agricultural Investigators,
we owe to him an idea that we think
may be turned to the greatest advantage
in improving our corn crops. 1t ls to
change the present character OF this
grain by course of selection and breed
ing similar to that through which we
have brought cur live stock to such q
high degree of profitable excellence. 1t
is simply to discontinue the growing OF
barren stalks and prevent them from
fertihzing the seed Of the prolific ones.
To do this, all those stalks which show
no sign of an ear or silk (Which is
the female fower) when the tassel or
male flowers appear, should be topped
80 as to deprive them of their powers OF
reproduction, should be emasculated in
fact. We should lose nothing by this,
because we should at least have the fod-
der, which is all we should get under
any circumstances, but we should have
the very important advantage of fertiliz-
ing the other plants with pollen from
prolific stalks. Hence, we might ex-
pect in very short time to so change
the character and habits of the corn as
to have every plant prolific and produc-
tive of at least one ear. If in time we
could give the plant the habit OF bear
ing twin ears, or three, four or more;
and by the required system Of fertiliz-
ing the soil secure 80 vigorous growth
as to mature these ears perfectly, then
what a gain should we have made. To
grow five acres of corn yielding 5OO
bushels would cost no more than it now
costs to grow five acres yielding one
hundred bushels, exceptingthe increased
labor of husking and storing the ears,
and only fourth as much as. it now
costs to grow the 500 bushels on
twenty acres. It is a very trite thing
to say that the greatest profit lies IN
producing the greatest yield with the
least possible labor and expense yet
farmers do not seem to look at it in that
way, or else they are contented with
very small profits, for it is plain to be
seen that the small crops grown do not
paw any adequate price for the labor OF
raising them. And so spend ones labor
in growing fifty barren corn'stalks out
of every hundred We grow, seems, un-
Juestionably, t" be O very poor busl-
ness. We hope our readers will give
this matter the thought and attention 1t
deserves. There is nothing to lose by
adopting the means of improving pro-
posed, and there is vast gain possible
from it.-New York Times.


Household Notse.


To CLEAN PA1NT.-Take one ounce OF
pulverized borax, one pound OF small
pieces of best brown soap, and three
quarts of water. Let it simmer till the
zap is dissolved, stirring frequently.
Do not let it boil. Use piece OF old
flannel, and rinse off as soon as the paint
is clean. This mixture is also good fer
washing clothes.


WATERPRooFINa CLOTH. -Imbue the
cloth on the wrong side with a solution
of isinglass, alum and soap, by means OF
brush. When dry, brush on the
wrong side against the grain, and the n


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